It's Official
by nkb-92
Summary: Nothing turned out the way Rachel Berry wanted it after Sectionals, nothing. In fact, things might just be worse than they were before. She still doesn't have Finn, still doesn't have friends, she doesn't even have her fellow 'Glee Clubbers' anymore.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So, this story has been lurking in my brain since December, like it literally will not go away. Since it's been about five months I figured I might as well right it, otherwise it is not going to leave me alone. As of right now it's M for the later chapters, but we'll say its for some of the language as well =) As a timeline, it takes place after 'Sectionals,' but before 'Hell-o. There may be some incorporation from the new episodes, but we'll see where it takes me. Anyway, let me know what you think.

**Chapter 1**

_Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.__-__Carl Bard_

_In every phenomenon the beginning remains always the most notable moment. –Thomas Carlyle_

It's official, Rachel Berry hates her life. It's the day of sectionals when she realizes. Mr. Shue bolted out of the choir room after they finished signing 'My Life Would Suck Without You,' and immediately everyone spit into little groups to talk about what just happened. Quinn is standing with Santana and Britney; Finn's with Matt and Mike. Kurt and Mercedes are whispering to each other, so are Artie and Tina. Rachel just looks around the room realizing that she is the only one alone, aside from Puck, whose eye she caught briefly as he slipped out of the room. She's not sure why they all seem to be excluding her, more so than usual. All she did was tell the truth.

Sighing, Rachel grabs her coat and purse off one of the front row chairs and turns to leave just Quinn says that she's dying for a cheeseburger; Santana suggests they go to the Happy Daz two blocks up to celebrate. She and Brittney spit up to invite the other groups. Rachel paused, slowly putting her coat on, giving one of the Cheerios time to come to her. They don't.

When she realizes that they're not going to ask her to come along, that no one is, she's momentarily panicked, it's not like her, but she can't let them see how embarrassed she is, how hurt. She digs in her bag for her phone, pulling it out before dialing her voicemail. "Hi, daddy." She responded as the mechanical voice on the other end asked for a pin number. "No, I know, I'm on my way now." She continued, feeling ridiculous. "I _know_ I have ballet in half an hour." She walked quickly out of the choir room, pretending she had no idea that the others were planning to go celebrate their win. _A win they wouldn't have without me._ She thinks to herself. She hears Kurt and Mercedes laugh as she leaves the room, she doesn't turn around in case it's about her, it usually is.

Making her way to the side of the school where she is supposed to meet her dad she sees Mr. Shue and Ms. Pillsbury kissing at the other end of the hall. She smiles softly to herself; she's noticed how they look at each other when they think no one is looking. It reminds her of Finn and herself, it both gives her hope and reminds her that she is still alone. Finn hasn't come to her like she thought he would. In fact, he hasn't talked to her at all, since he told her not to screw up right before they preformed earlier today.

She sits on a bench next to the parking lot to wait for her dad to pick her up; glancing down at her watch and rolling her eyes. It's only five, she told her dads when they dropped her off that morning that they should pick her up around six. She debates calling to have one of them come pick her up now, but she knows that it will lead to a lot of questions that she does not want to answer.

Figuring a little cold wont hurt her she pulls her iPod from her bag, hits shuffle and smiles when "Something Good" from The Sound of Music comes on, she's always found Julie Andrews extremely soothing. She almost doesn't see them leaving, but they're all there, together, climbing into each others cars. Tears sting her eyes as Finn looks over his shoulder and stares right at her. She knows he sees her, he pauses for a moment, but he climbs into Matt's car.

"It's fine." She mumbled to herself, "I'm fine." She opens her bag again, tossing her iPod inside, Julie Andrews is just not going to cut it anymore. She wonders briefly if she should walk home, but decides almost immediately that it would be a bad idea. "God, what is _wrong_ with me?" She asks allowed shivering in the cold.

She presses her lips together and squeezes her eyes shut, willing away the tears. By the time her father got there, only fifteen minutes late this time, she's smiling. "Hey, Dad."

"Hi, Rachel." The dark skinned man replied. He didn't apologize for being late, she didn't expect him to. "Why aren't you celebrating with your friends?" He asked as she climbed into the car.

"We're going out later tonight, I was going to ask you and daddy when we got home." She lied, mentally kicking herself. She was going to have to find something to do now.

He beamed at her, "Just tell me when and where I don't think it will be a problem with either of us."

"Oh, um, around 7:30, 8. We're going to the diner, I think. I'll have to call someone to double check." Rachel replied. _Damn it!_ She thought to herself. What was she going to do by herself at 8 pm on a Saturday night in Lima, Ohio?

"That's great, pumpkin, you know how worried daddy and I have been that you don't seem to have any close friends your own age."

Rachel sucked in a breath at he father's bluntness, she knew he wasn't trying to be hurtful, but it didn't change the result. "I know." She whispered quietly. And she did know, she'd overheard them talking about taking her to a psychologist.

"Well, I, for one, am glad. When I was your age, I never wanted to be home, I was always out and about with my friends."

Rachel swallowed thickly as the car pulled into the driveway. _I'm not you._ She thought to herself. "Me, too." She said allowed. "I'm going to run up and shower before I go."

"Go where, Rachel?" Her other father asked, coming out of the kitchen, wiping his glasses on the bottom of his sweater.

"Alan, Rachel's going to the diner with some friends."

"That's great, sweetie, do you need a ride?" Her father asked as Rachel climbed the stairs.

_Crap_, Rachel, thought to her as she stopped halfway up the steps. "No, thanks, daddy. The Hummels live two blocks over, I'm going to meet Kurt there and he's going to drive us."

At her father's nod of approval Rachel continued up, stopping only when she heard the muffled whisper, "Richard, she's going out with friends."

"I know, I almost couldn't believe it myself, I was starting to get worried about her."

Rachel closed her bedroom door behind her sagging heavily against it. _Even my dads think I'm a freak. It's no wonder that everyone in school does too._

An hour later Rachel was still trying to figure out where she was going to go. She'd checked the weather and it was much too cold to be outside for any length of time and she didn't want to go anywhere that she could run into someone from school. Sighing, and when had she starting doing that so much, Rachel bundled up and grabbed her purse. "Bye dad, daddy."

"Bye, Rachel. Have a good time." Richard yelled.

"I will, thanks." Rachel replied before stepping out of the house. She walked down the steps and turned right at the sidewalk, in the direction of Kurt's house. She figured she should keep up the charade while in sight of her house in case her dads were watching. She'd gone a few blocks, not paying attention to her surroundings, turning randomly, when she realized just how cold it was. Stopping a moment to get her bearings she realized she was only a few blocks from the library. _It's warm and I definitely wont run into anyone from school there_. Smiling sadly to herself, Rachel realized it was the perfect for what she needed. _God, I hate my life._

The next few months passed in much the same way for Rachel, though she kept adding to the fictional things she would do with the other glee kids. When her parents were home, there would be one day over the weekend that she would tell them that she was spending time with friends. Most times she went to the library, once in a while she would go to the little Indy Theater across town, no one looked at her funny if she saw a movie by herself there. Sunday mornings she would teller her fathers that she was going to brunch. Two or three days a week should would stay at the library after school and tell her fathers she was hanging out with friends. She figured the extra time she put in studying would really help her grades.

_Not that you would know it with grades like this._ Rachel thought to herself, glancing down at the math test she had just gotten back. _Eighty-four. Dad and Daddy are going to be so upset._

The teacher was just about to start going over problems when Puck walked in. Rachel only rolled her eyes when Ms. Binger handed him the test, "Thank you for joining us today, Mr. Puckerman." She honestly forgets that he's in her class most of the time; he only shows up the days they have tests and the days they get them back.

Puck just shrugged his shoulders and took the seat next to Rachel; it's the only free seat in the class. Rachel tried to take a surreptitious glance at his test paper. _Ninety-four! He doesn't even come to class and he still managed to beat me by ten points. How does that even happen?_

Puck smirked to himself when he noticed Rachel trying to get a look at his paper. He knows that he got a better grade than she did by her reaction. Math is his best subject; it's why he gets away with not going to class, as long as he does well on the tests the teachers don't care.

He's drawing in the margins, shut up he's _not_ doodling, or some gay shit, he's drawing, when Berry raises her hand. He rolls his eyes and watches Ms. Binger do the same. _Wait, what? Are teachers allowed to do that shit?_

"Yes, Rachel." Ms. Binger asks wearily.

Puck's eyes narrow as he sees the knuckles on Rachel's right hand whiten around her pencil. He's always wondered if she noticed other people's reactions to her, now he knows.

"Can you go over question seven, please?"

Ms. Binger glances down at the test paper, "Does anyone else need help with question seven?"

No one raises their hands, but Puck does hear a couple of girls giggle from the other side of the room. "Sorry, Rachel, we'll get to it if we have time at the end of class."

Puck watches with morbid fascination as a flush works it's way up Rachel's neck; even her ears turn a bit pink. She doesn't say anything, just nods mutely and looks down. _The fuck? Are teachers allowed to embarrass the hell out of students like that?_

They finish going over problems with ten minutes left of class. Since Ms. Binger doesn't appear to be going back to Rachel's questions he waits for Rachel to bring it up. He's beyond confused when she doesn't. She's quietly staring down at the textbook she's pulled out and it looks as if she's trying to figure it out on her own.

_Since when is Berry quiet about anything?_ He wonders to himself. He shakes his head as she bolts from the classroom when the bell rings._ Probably can't wait to get to glee._ They have twenty minutes, but he knows how she is about being on time.

When he walks into the choir room nineteen minutes later she's not there. Shrugging he takes an empty seat in the back corner, away from everyone else, they're not glaring at him anymore, but they're still not talking to him, not that he wants to talk to them anyway.

When Rachel walks in right behind Mr. Shue her eyes are bloodshot. He wonders briefly if she's been crying. "Nice of you to grace us with your presence." Kurt says snidely. His eyes widen slightly when she doesn't reply, just sits down two seats in front of him. He realizes she's put a buffer of empty chairs between her and the glares everyone else is sending her way. He tries to remember if she's done anything lately to warrant the glares. He can't, she hasn't thrown any fits in months, even when she hasn't gotten solos. Thinking, he can't even remember the last time Mr. Shue gave her a solo, he thinks it might be Sectionals.

Mr. Shue lets Kurt's comment pass, "Alright, guys, I've got a great number for you guys." He hands out the sheet music.

Puck glances down, 'Seasons of Love. ' _Fuck his life._ Rachel perks up slightly at the song, he should have known she would like this shit. "Mr. Shue," Rachel starts. Puck smirks, he's sure she's going to start campaigning for the solo.

"Mr. Shue," Rachel says again when he doesn't look at her, "if we're going to be singing 'Rent,' maybe, if we changed some of the lyrics, we could …"

She stops when Mr. Shue cuts her off, "No, Rachel, you're not getting the solo, I've already chosen."

Puck cocks his head, he's pretty sure she didn't mention anything about a solo. "What?" Rachel asks confused momentarily. He hears Kurt and Mercedes snicker on the other side of the room. "No, I just thought we could sing 'La Vie Boheme,' it'll really showcase everyone's talent."

"Rachel!" Mr. Shue says sharply. "I already told you I've made my choices. I don't need your input in _everything_ we do. Last time I checked _I_ was the director."

Puck coughs in surprise. _Where the hell did that come from?_ Everyone else laughs as Rachel stares down. "Congratulations, Finn, Santana. Alright, everyone up, lets run through it."

Rachel doesn't speak for the rest of practice. _I don't know how much more of this I can take. _Everyone_ hates me._ She's relieved beyond belief when practice is over. She practically sprints to her locker to grab her things when Mr. Shue announces they can leave. She's shoving things into her bag when her phone beeps. She frowns at it as Finn passes her to get to his locker, five down from her own.

"Hi, pumpkin," Rachel hears her dad start his voicemail, "Daddy and I are going out for diner. I know we were supposed to pick you up, but I'm sure that you can have one of your friends drive you home. There are leftovers in the 'fridge." Rachel hits seven, erasing the message, angrily glancing at her watch. Six fifteen, the last late bus had left fifteen minutes ago. She glances briefly at Finn, she normally would consider asking him for a ride home, but it's been snowing all day and there is no way she can walk.

Puck watches her from the corner of his eye. His locker is down the hall from Finn and Rachel's. But he laughs to himself as he watches Rachel take a deep breath, square her shoulders and walk to Finn. They're far enough away that he can't hear what she's said. But Finn's, "No." carries down the hall loud and clear. He watches as Rachel's lips move, he still can't hear what she's saying. "God, Rachel. This is why _everyone_ can't stand you. You don't know when to give up, or keep your mouth shut." Finn says nastily.

Puck ducks around a corner as Finn storms by. He hears Rachel murmur, "It's no one. No one can stand me." He hears the tears in her voice and shakes his head; he doesn't know what happened, why everyone seems to be treating her like shit. Sure, he's been checked out for the last couple of months, but he's pretty sure he would have noticed something big enough that even the teachers are awful to her.

He waits until he hears the heels of her shoes clicking down the hall before making his way out to the parking lot to his truck. Trudging through the snow he scowls at the sky. _Damn snow. I can't fucking wait until spring and this shit is over._ The engine sputters a few times without turning over. _Fucking piece of shit!_ He thinks smacking the dashboard a few times. "Finally." He mutters as the engine finally roars to life.

He's a block and a half from school when he sees the figure plodding through the snow. He shakes his head at the idiot, _what kind of moron takes a walk in weather like this? _It takes him about five seconds after passing the figure to recognize the pink coat. He stops his truck, rolling down the window, "The fuck is the matter with you?" He calls out the window.

Her eyes widen, "Excuse me?"

He chuckles softly, she looks seriously offended. "Why are you out walking in this storm, Berry?"

She shrugs when he lifts a brow, "My dads couldn't pick me up and the last bus left before practice ended." He's surprised when she turns on her heel and storms away. He pulls up next to her again. "What?" She asks stopping short.

"Get in."

"No."

"Get in the truck." He says exasperatedly. "Get in the fucking truck." He says again when she doesn't move.

She blinks at him, but she opens the door and scrambles in. "Thank you." She mutters shivering as she buckles the seat belt.

"The heat doesn't work, sorry."

"It's alright." She replies staring out the window.

He hears her teeth chattering, he wonders if she's so quiet because of the cold. Her lips were starting to turn a frightening blue color. He reaches under the seat, feels around a moment before finding what he wants.

She gives him a strange look, but doesn't say anything. He's seriously freaked out when he tosses the blanket at her. "Here." She doesn't say anything, just stares at the blanket on her lap. "It's clean."

"I…" She trails off, "thank you." She whispers.

"Are you crying?" He asks before he can stop himself. _Fuck, I don't want the answer._

"It's cold out." He knows she's lying, but he lets it slide as he pulls from the curb. "My house is on…"

"I know where you live." He cuts her off.

"Okay." She says simply, staring out the window again.

"If one of your dads couldn't pick you up, why didn't you ask someone to give you a ride home?" He asks when they're about a block from her house.

"Kurt was already driving Mercedes home, she lives on the other side of town." She replies without emotion.

He glances at her briefly, "Doesn't Hummel live like a block or two from here?"

"Yes."

"What about…" He trails off with understanding. _That's what she was talking to Hudson about. God, what a douche._

He pulls into her driveway and locks the doors. She looks back to him with furrowed brows. "Give me your phone, Berry."

"What?" She asks confused, "Why?"

He rolls his eyes, "Just give it to me." When she hesitates he grabs her purse himself. He blocks her reaching hands and ignores her indignant sputtering as he pulls her phone out himself.

"What are you doing? Give it back." She says angrily grabbing her purse from him.

"Here." He says simply, tossing the phone back to her. He's mildly impressed that she catches it. "I put my number in it. If you need ride, text me."

She stares at him without saying anything, he's about to say something, but a second later he's got an armful of Rachel Berry. He's got a moment to realize her hair smells kind of minty before she whispers, "thank you," in his ear and hops out of the truck. He waits as she dashes into her house before pulling away.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Okay, so first off, holy crap! To say that the response to this story is a bit overwhelming is a massive understatement. Thank you to everyone put me on a fav list and/or took the time to review. You guys are awesome. It really makes the time spent writing squeezed between work, school, and, you know, life, really worth while. So, again, THANK YOU!

**Chapter 2**

_A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. -Anonymous_

_Friendship improves happiness, and abates misery, by doubling our joys, and dividing our grief. –Joseph Addison_

Two days later Puck is walking around the lake at the park a half a mile from his house. It's eight o'clock in the morning and it's fucking freezing, but his mother was riding his ass about Quinn again. Like he doesn't know that he fucked up royally. He's so lost in thought that he doesn't see her until he quiet literally walks into her.

He looks down, he stumbled back a few steps, but he's bigger than her, so she's on her ass. "Hey, Berry, sorry, didn't see you." Looking down he realizes that her skirt has ridden up, like a lot, and that if he turns his head just enough he might be able to see under it.

"Clearly." She huffs. "Why are you looking…" she trails off, looks down at herself. Her voice rises a couple of octaves, "Are you looking up my skirt?"

He just leers at her as she scrambles to her feet, pulling the skirt down. "You're disgusting."

"What, I'm a dude, and I haven't had any action in _months_."

"Ugh, gross."

Snickering, he notices the iPod bud dangling from one ear and grabs the other, pulling it to his own. "What are you listening to?" He's willing to bet it's Streisand or Celine Dion.

He almost chokes when he hears the harsh guitars and lyrics. "Just fake it if you're out of direction, fake it if you don't belong here, fake it if you feel like infection. Whoa, you're such a fucking hypocrite."

He pulls the bud from his ear, "Seether? Really?"

She shrugs her right shoulder, "I like them, I don't just listen to Broadway soundtracks."

"I know that, I just thought the rest was shit like my mom likes." Rachel only lifts her eyebrows. "You know, Celine Dion, Barbara Streisand, old school Mariah Carrey. I mean that's the crap you always get picked to sing."

She snorts. She actually fucking snorts. He's not sure he's ever heard such an undignified noise from her. "I don't get picked to sing anything anymore." She replies bitterly. He frowns at the tone, that's something else he's never heard from her. She seems to remember herself and literally shakes it off. "I do know what you mean though. The genre does seem to be more my type. But, actually, I love all types of music."

Be blinks at her, _she didn't even take a breath._ "What are you doing here?" They ask at the same time as they start walking.

She gives him a half smile, "Go ahead."

"My mother was giving me hell about everything." She's still looking at him, not saying anything, "You know; Quinn, the baby, school, anything else she can think of. I just needed to get away, you know?"

"Mmmhmm."

"So, why are you out here, freezing your ass off?" He prompts. The fact that he has to wierds him out, more than a little.

"Just needed to get away, you know?" She repeats. When he raises a brow she continues, "My dads, they want me to be perfect, and I'm not. They're angry about my grades, about the fact that I never have friends over, that I'm not getting solos in glee anymore, that I'm not spending enough time practicing for dance. They're convinced that I'm not going to be getting into Julliard."

He just stops walking, taking in her rant, it's a bit more like the Rachel Berry he knows. "Can I take that one at a time?" He asks, grabbing her arm.

"What?"

"Why would your dads be pissed about your grades? Aren't you on the honor roll and in Honor Society and shit like that?"

"Yes, but my geometry grade is bringing down my average, and they're greatly disappointed in me."

It's completely fucked up, but she's serious, "What's your grade in geometry and why do you think that they're disappointed in you?"

"Eighty-two." He just smirks at that, almost all of his classes have an average below that, "And they told me."

He blinks, "Your parents told you they were disappointed in you because you have an eighty-two average in geometry?"

"Among other things."

"That's fucked up."

She huffs and stomps her foot in annoyance, "I know it doesn't seem like a big deal to you, but dad's a lawyer and daddy's a doctor, good grades are expected."

He can't help it, seeing her get so worked up, he laughs. "I don't even know why I'm talking to you." She turns on her heel and starts to walk away.

"Wait, shit." He says jogging to catch up with her. "I'm not laughing at you, well I am, but not at what you said." She doesn't stop so he grabs her elbow. "Chill the fuck out, Berry. You stomped." Rachel just stares at him like he has two heads. "When you got pissed, I wasn't expecting it. I've never really seen someone do that, only in, like, movies and shit."

"Your vocabulary is atrocious."

He grins; it doesn't occur to him until much later that it's the first time he's done so in months. "I know. I just, I mean I don't get it. If I had eighty-twos in my classes my mother would be doing handsprings around the house. But I do know what it's like to disappoint your parents. It sucks balls."

Rachel giggles; Puck doesn't think he's _ever_ heard her giggle before. Apparently it's a big day of firsts for them. "Big ones." She agrees.

He stares at her; he feels like he's been doing that a lot lately too, "What have you done with Rachel Berry?" She tilts her head to the side, eyebrows furrowing in confusion, _it's cute_, he thinks_. Shit! I did not just think that._ "You just said that disappointing your parents sucks big balls."

"I certainly did not."

"I was there, Berry, you said it."

"I would never say something so crass, Noah." Rachel says with a laugh in her voice. "You likened disappointing ones parents to a sexual activity, using as vulgar language as possible, of course. I just added to the imagery, without saying anything crude myself."

"Whatever, I still maintain that you said it." He looks down at her as she rolls her eyes at him. "So, where's your car."

"I don't have one."

"How did you get here?"

"The same way plenty of other people who don't drive do." When Puck just stared blankly at her she went on, "I walked."

"From your house?"

"Where else would I have walked from?"

"It's gotta be, like, four miles from your house to here."

"So?"

"It's freezing out."

"It was thirty four degrees when I left the house." He gives a look that clearly says _you're crazy_. "Okay, yes, it's very cold, but technically not freezing."

He leads her to his truck, "Get in."

"You're truck doesn't have any heat, how is that going to help?"

"It'll be faster." She opens her mouth, but realizes she can't argue and closes it again.

Puck's thankful that his truck starts on the first try this time. He backs out, faster than he should, then floors it. Rachel doesn't so much as blink. "I'm starving."

He sees her face fall out of the corner of his eye, "I apologize, I kept you out longer than you normally would have been. You can drop me off here, if you want, it's really not that far, I'll be fine."

Her voice is kind of hollow; Puck's not sure what it means. "Don't be crazy…" he starts, he doesn't get the chance to finish.

"I'm not _crazy_!" She practically hissed in reply.

"I didn't mean, not literally." He answered as he pulled into a diner a few blocks from her house. He's about to ask what crawled up her ass when he sees her face. He's not used to curbing what he says, but he thinks this would be a good time to practice. "I wasn't trying to kick you out, come on, let's go have breakfast."

"I didn't bring any money with me." Rachel said glancing over to Puck. He's looking at her like she's about to explode. "Sorry, it's a sore subject." She sighs.

"Apparently." He looks at her face; she looks like she's going to cry again. He doesn't know if he can handle that. He's been having a surprisingly good time with her and he hasn't hung around anyone his own age since the whole baby scandal broke, it's nice. "So, lets go in, I'm freezing my nuts off." She half coughs, half chokes. "I'll get you this time, next time you get me."

"Um, yeah, okay." She says sliding out of the car. She's not sure what she's most surprised about; that he's willing to be seen with her in public, that he's going to pay for her food, like a date, or that he says there will be a next time, like it's not even a question.

"You coming any time soon?" He calls from the doorway. "I realize that your legs are short, but come the hell on."

She scowls up at him, walking through the door, "My legs are not sure, thank you very much."

She blushes as he looks her up and down, "You're right Berry, you might be a midget, but compared to the rest of you, your legs are about three miles long."

The hostess smiles at them, asks how many in their party, "Two." Puck replies.

"Right this way, kids."

"That's very politically incorrect of you." Rachel says, sliding into the booth. "They're called little people." She turns to the hostess, "Thank you." She says grabbing the menu. "And I am not a little person, in fact, I'm four inches taller than the maximum to be considered a little person."

He lets her response soak in for a moment, realizing that she's looked this up, before letting out a fully belly laugh, he doesn't even care when people turn to look at him. " What? Why are you laughing?"

"It's… it's just…" He can't really talk, he's trying to clam himself a bit, but it's a struggle. "Okay, lets try that again." She smiles at him. "You looked it up."

"So?"

"So?" He repeats incredulously. "So, at some point you thought you were a midget,"

"_Little person._"

He ignores her interruption, "and you looked it up."

She's about to deny it, but shrugs, "It was middle school. I've grown a couple of inches since then."

"How tall?"

"What?"

"How tall do you have to be to be a midget?"

"_Little person_. Four foot ten inches is the max."

"How tall were you when you looked it up?"

"It doesn't matter, what are you having for breakfast?"

He narrow his eyes at her, "That's a lame attempt to change the subject, Berry. How tall?"

"Can't you let it go?"

"Nope. Come on, how tall were you when you thought you were a midget?"

"_Little person._ Noah."

She practically whines his name and he decides on the spot that it's probably one of the best sounds he's ever heard. "Spill, Berry."

She lets out a breath of relief when the waitress comes over, "What are you kids having?"

"I'm having the short stack, with blueberries, two eggs over easy, a side of bacon, and white toast. And I'll have the large chocolate milk to drink." Rachel blinks at him. "What?"

"How…" she cut herself off, "You know what, never mind, the answer is probably going to annoy me. I'll have the egg white omelet with mushrooms, peppers and swiss. Do you have turkey sausage?"

"Yep." The waitress replied writing down the order.

"Okay, I'll have the turkey sausage and wheat toast."

"To drink?"

"Oh, um, the small orange juice."

" Tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"I'm going to keep harassing you until you spill."

"Fine." Rachel replied exasperatedly as the waitress sets down their drinks. "Four- nine."

Puck coughs, mouth full of chocolate milk. "Milk almost just shot out my nose, thanks, Berry." He says satisfaction oozing from his voice, "So you really were a midget when you looked it up."

She pouts at him. "_Little person!_ And I was not, I was still growing. It was eighth grade, I was fourteen."

"You've grown five inches in the last two years?"

She shrugged in reply, "Growth spurt."

He leers in response, "I'll say." Her face turns pink and Puck decides he really enjoys making Rachel Berry blush.

She's about to respond when Kurt and Mercedes walk by, "I didn't know that Rachel had friends." Mercedes whispers, none to softly, to Kurt. He laughs nastily as they leave the diner.

Puck heard the exchange, but he's not sure if Rachel did. He glances at her; her lips are pressed tightly together. "Why don't you say something back to them?"

"I don't know what you're referring to."

"Berry." He says softly.

"Don't." She replies just as soft, "Please."

He's not sure who broke this girl or when, but it kills him, because he knows at one point he helped to do it.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" She's genuinely confused.

"For everything."

"It's fine."

It's not fine, they both know it, but he lets it go as the waitress sets their food in front of them.

"That is really disgusting." Rachel manages staring at his food.

"It's delicious." He corrects her. "Here, come on, we'll switch."

She smacks his hand away, his jaw literally drops, "No, there's a reason I ordered what I did. Besides," she says, waving a hand absently, "if I ate all that I would probably vomit. Which isn't easy as I don't have a gag reflex."

He really starts choking this time. He'd taken a bite of his pancakes after she swatted his hand away; he was attempting to swallow as she mentioned her lack of gag reflex. "Holy shit."

Her eyes go wide as she realizes what she's just said, "Oh, god."

He just looks at her, face buried in her hands and shaking. _Shaking? The hell?_ "Are you laughing?"

"I didn't m…mmm…. mean to say that." She laughs.

He raises both eyebrows this time, "I'm sure you didn't." He eyes her cautiously, "You're not gonna try to kill me again are you?"

"No, I promise." To prove it she takes a bite of her omelet. "See."

He takes a bite of his eggs after deeming it safe. He's chewing when he narrows his eyes at her. "Dude, how do you even _know_ that?"

She doesn't answer, just turns red and kicks him under the table. He doesn't know what to make of the irrational anger that courses through him at the thought of her on her knees in front of some nameless guy.

She's fidgeting on the car ride back to her house. "What's up with you?"

"Hmm?" She replies distractedly.

"Look, I know we're not really friends, but what the hell's wrong with you?"

"I don't know what you're referring to."

"Come the hell on. You might as well be wearing a damn sign. You're all fidgety and crap."

"I'm not."

"Berry." He said pulling into her driveway.

"Noah."

"Why do you call me that?"

"It's you're name, isn't it."

"That's not…" Puck stopped, took a deep breath. "That was better. Though, still lame as I saw through your half assed attempt to change the subject again."

He watched as she squared her shoulders, bracing herself, he realized. "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"This?" She replied, waving a hand between them.

"I could tell you what that looks like to me, but I don't think you'll like it." He smirked.

She stopped immediately. "Why are you being nice to me?"

He blinked, "You had a rough day Friday."

"So, pity then." She turned, opened the door. "Okay." Slid out.

"What? Shit, no." He pulled his keys out of the ignition and hopped out of the truck. "Berry, hold up." She turned, looking at him expectantly. "I don't pity you." She raised her eyebrows. "I don't. I mean you had a really shitty day the other day. But, you're easy to be around, you know, when you're not acting crazy," her eyes narrow, so he pushed ahead, "and…" He glanced around, didn't see anyone, but the two of them, "shit, if you tell anyone, I'll deny it. But you don't treat me like an asshole, like everyone else does. Everywhere I go people look at me like I just this guy who knocked up his former best friend's girlfriend. It's nice that you treat me, you know, normal, and not like a Lima Loser."

Rachel looked up at him with shiny eyes, "Okay."

"You're not gonna start crying are you?"

"Don't worry, I'll wait until to you leave."

"Fuck, I didn't mean to make you cry."

He looked so concerned that she smiled, "It's a good cry."

Puck narrowed his eyes, "Girls are weird. And why can't I be nice to you without any sort of ulterior motive?"

She shrugged, "No one ever has before."

_Well, shit. What do you say to that?_ Puck thought. "Um, so, I'll see you at school tomorrow?"

Rachel blinked back the stinging in her eyes; she really didn't think Noah would appreciate her crying, "Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow."

"That is of course unless you want to come back to my house now and test out that non-existent gag reflex of yours."

She turned pink again, "I'm not going to live that down, am I?"

"Not a chance, in fact, I plan to bring it up as much as possible."

"That's what she said."

Puck let out a bark of laughter as Rachel's hand flew to her mouth. "You just made a sex joke."

"I did not." She relied immediately.

"There's no use denying it, it's burned into my brain."

She smiled at him for a second, "You're not going to tell anyone, are you?"

"What that you made a sex joke? I don't think anyone would believe it, you're secret's safe with me."

There was a rush of emotion over her face that was gone too quickly for Puck to place. "No, the…" Rachel glanced around, "the gag reflex thing."

"Not a fucking chance. That'll definitely stay between us." She looked relieved. "But, again, anytime you want to demonstrate, I'm here for you."

Rachel opened her mouth to reply, but her front door opened before she had the chance. "Rachel?"

"Dad." Rachel spun around.

"Where have you been?"

"I told you, I went to the diner with some friends."

Puck watched as her black father looked from him to her and back again. _Fuck, dude's big._ Was all Puck could think, quickly followed by, _I've seen that look before, usually when some cougar's husband comes homes early. Crap, I hope he didn't hear me taking about her lack of gag reflex._ He really hoped that her father wasn't going to murder him then hide the body. She'd said one of them was a lawyer; he'd probably get away with it.

"You're not usually gone so long. It's nearly noon, Daddy and I were getting worried."

Rachel glanced down at her watch, "I'm sorry, Noah and I went for a walk by the lake, we must have lost track of time."

Puck's a little lost, he knows that she's lied to her parents; he's just not sure what about, specifically. "Um, hi, Mr. Berry" _Shit, I hope that's right. Are they both Mr. Berry? How does that work when it's two dudes? Oh, fuck me, mental image._ "Um, yeah, it's my fault Rachel's so late today. I've been having a rough couple of weeks, I asked her to take a walk with me."

Puck watches Rachel's mouth drop open and her father's eyes narrow suspiciously. _He's definitely going to cut up my body and bury it in the backyard._ Puck fought the urge to gulp. _Rachel's father is fucking scary_.

"Rachel you haven't introduced me to your friend, it's rude."

"Sorry," she murmured, "Dad, this is Noah Puckerman, Noah, this is my dad, Richard Berry."

"Good to meet you, son, Rachel doesn't often have friends over."

He doesn't know exactly how to respond to that, but he can see the blush creeping up Rachel's face from where he's standing. "Um, you too. I've got to go, I have to help my mom with my kid sister. I'll see you tomorrow Be…" He stops; calling her Berry in front of her dad is probably not a good idea, "Rachel."

"Bye."

As he's climbing into his truck he hears her dad ask about their last math test. He starts the truck, _yes! First time again_, so he doesn't hear Rachel's answer. He rolls down the window so he can hear her father's answer; she had to be exaggerating earlier.

"Eighty-four, Rachel. How are you going to get into Julliard or NYU with grades like that?"

Puck rolls up the window and backs out of the driveway; he doesn't want to hear the rest of that. _Seriously, fucked up._ He thinks as he drives toward his house.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I have to say the overall response to this story is really amazing. I'm really glad that everyone likes it so far. And remember, hit that little purplish button down on the bottom to let me know what you think.

**Chapter 3**

_It's only with great vulgarity that you can achieve real refinement, only out of bawdy that you can get tenderness. –Lawrence Durrell_

_I was angry with my friend: I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe: I told it not, my wrath did grow. –William Blake_

"Rachel," Her father starts, pulling up to the side of the school, "before you go in I want to talk to you."

"Yes, daddy?"

"Sweetie, are you ok?"

Her breath involuntarily hitches; _I hope he didn't hear._ "I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" It's an automatic response, one that she's given dozens of times, to both her fathers.

Alan doesn't answer right away, just continues to look at her. Rachel has to actively fight the urge to squirm. "Daddy, I have to get to school."

"School doesn't start for another half hour, you'll be okay for a few minutes." He replied. "Rachel, you've been extraordinarily quiet for the last few months, you don't seem to get the same enjoyment out of singing that you used to, you spend far too much time alone." Rachel swallows thickly, she _does not_ like where this is going. "Dad and I are worried about you."

"Daddy, I said that I'm fine." It sounds artificial, even to her.

"Sweetheart, Dad and I think that you should see someone. Dr. Stevenson is a friend of mine; she specializes in teens."

"No."

"Rachel."

"No. Just because I don't act the way Dad and you want does not mean that I have to go see a psychiatrist."

"Rachel…"

"I don't need to see anyone, I'm fine." She gets out of the car, slamming the door behind her. She hears her father calling her, but she refuses to turn around, _Today is already going terribly_.

Storming though the school she sees Finn talking to a blonde girl that she thinks might be a junior standing directly in front of her locker. _Of course._ "Excuse me."

The girl didn't move, "I said, 'excuse me.'"

When the blonde still didn't move Rachel shoved her way between them to get to her locker. "Excuse you." The girl hissed.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. The same way you must not have heard me when I asked you, politely, to move over."

The girl rolled her eyes and walked away. "The hell, Rachel?"

"Oh, so you're talking to me now, Finn?" The look she gave him had him gulping. "Is there something you'd like to say to me?"

"Uh, no?" He muttered.

"Figures." Rummaging through her locker she can see Finn walk away, turning to look at her quizzically over his shoulder.

"So, you're pretty scary when you're pissed."

"What?"

Puck grinned down at her, "That look you shot Hudson, I'm pretty sure he just shit his pants. It was kinda hot."

"You find Finn defecating on himself hot?" Wrinkling her nose she continued, "You might want to see someone about that."

"Cute, Berry." Puck replied shaking his head. "See you later."

"Goodbye, Noah." Grabbing her history notebook Rachel turned to head to class, only to get a face full of blue raspberry slushie.

"Loser." She can't see him, but she knows it was David Karofsky.

Sputtering slightly Rachel wipes the sugary syrup out of her eyes. She can hear the other kids in the hall laughing at her, but she's found that any kind of reaction, aside from changing her clothes, will just give them more to laugh at.

Twenty minutes later she's rushing into her history class, only five minutes late, thankfully. "You're late, Rachel."

"Sorry, Ms. Crowley."

"It's alright, just take a seat."

Sighing Rachel slips into her desk and pulls out her homework. She closes her eyes and breaths heavily through her nose when she sees the blue spots staining it. _It's seven forty five in the morning and I already can't wait until today is over._

At twelve thirty Rachel headed to the auditorium for lunch, she hasn't been in the cafeteria in months. The first time she tried it after the baby incident no less than three lunches had been "accidently" dropped into her lap. Pulling open the door she can her music, it's not something she's familiar with, something very heavy on the bass.

Narrowing her eyes as she peers in she can see the red and white uniforms of the Cheerios on stage. "Of course. Of course they have practice during my lunch period." Not knowing where else to go Rachel ducks into the choir room, the library is not an option right now, she's starving and the librarian would have her head on a silver platter for even attempting to eat.

Looking around she didn't see Mr. Shue so, sighing, she sat down at the piano. She's plunking keys randomly and slowly picking at her lunch. Frustrated she gets up, throws her garbage into the pail, stares at it a moment before kicking it. "Why does everyone _hate_ me? _I _didn't do anything wrong. Sure, I told everyone about Noah being the father of Quinn's baby, and granted it wasn't my secret to tell, but come on. It's not like I cheated on my boyfriend with his best friend, then lied for months about who the father was. The only people who have any sort of right to be mad at me are Noah and Quinn. And neither of them do, Noah's my friend, sort of, and Quinn just ignores me, which, really is better than she used to do before. Then there's Mr. Shue, which makes even less sense. What could I have possibly done for him not to like me? That whole, silly, crush thing was _months_ ago."

Taking a deep breath Rachel closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "God."

Sitting back down at he piano she began to play in earnest, singing softly.

_**All around me are familiar faces **_

_**Worn out places, worn out faces **_

_**Bright and early for their daily races **_

_**Going nowhere, going nowhere **_

_**And their tears are filling up their glasses **_

_**No expression, no expression **_

_**Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow **_

_**No tomorrow, no tomorrow**_

_**And I find it kind of funny **_

_**I find it kind of sad **_

_**The dreams in which I'm dying **_

_**Are the best I've ever had **_

_**I find it hard to tell you **_

_**'Cause I find it hard to take **_

_**When people run in circles **_

_**It's a very, very Mad World **_

_**Children waiting for the day they feel good **_

_**Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday **_

_**Made to feel the way that every child should **_

_**Sit and listen, sit and listen **_

_**Went to school and I was very nervous **_

_**No one knew me, no one knew me **_

_**Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson **_

_**Look right through me, look right through me**_

_**And I find it kind of funny **_

_**I find it kind of sad **_

_**The dreams in which I'm dying **_

_**Are the best I've ever had **_

_**I find it hard to tell you **_

_**'Cause I find it hard to take **_

_**When people run in circles **_

_**It's a very, very **_

_**Mad World**_

She lets the last few notes linger, hauntingly, in the air. Wiping the tears roughly from her eyes as the bell rings she grabs her things and walks out of the room. She never notices that Mr. Shue is staring from the doorway to his office.

By the time Rachel walks into her seventh period biology class she's decided that the best part of her day had been narrowly avoiding being doused by a slushie a second time that day.

"I'm surprised you're here today, RuPaul."

She has to actively fight putting her head down on the desk as she watches Santana and another Cheerio walk by. _Why wouldn't I be here? The only days I ever miss are…._ _No! No, no no._

"Okay, everyone." Rachel looked towards the small teacher. "I'm going to pass around a piece of paper. Write down the name of the person you would like to be your lab partner for the next quarter." _Crap._

She'd conveniently been sick the last two times they'd had to pick their own lab partners. Rachel held her breath and sighed in relief when Ms. Scott started the paper on the other side of the room. _ I'm going to be the last to get it._ _At least I can say everyone else had a partner already when it gets to me._ Rachel felt her stomach clench as the paper made its rounds. Ms. Scott was saying something about a project, but Rachel wasn't paying attention. _I hate lab partner day._

Grabbing the paper from the boy sitting in front of her, Rachel didn't bother looking at the pairings before bringing the paper to the front of the class. "Here you are Ms. Scott."

"Thank you, Rachel." The teacher looked down at the paper. "Alright guys, everyone up. I'm going to tell you which table you're at." Groans filled the classroom as people began gathering their belongings. "Really? I let you pick your own partners, but you're going to give me a hard time about this?"

"Back right, Santana and Traci." Rachel watched as the two Cheerios made their way over to their seats. "Back middle, Puck and Rachel." Rachel felt her eyes go wide; she just hoped that they weren't _really_ bugging out of her head.

"Coming?" She looked over to Puck, nodded her head slightly, following him across the room. "Weren't you wearing something else this morning?"

She could feel the stares of the other kids as she took her seat next to him. "Hmm? Oh, yes. Slushie. You picked me as a lab partner?"

"No shit. Who Slushied you?"

"It doesn't matter, it happens all the time. Which is why I keep an extra set of clothes in my locker. Why did you pick me?"

He really wants to press the Slushie issue, but she seems hell bent on moving on, "Are we really going over this shit again?"

"Noah."

"Dude, you are the smartest person in this fucking class. Why wouldn't I want to be your partner?" She just looks at him skeptically. "Listen, I have a proposition for you."

"What _kind_ of proposition?"

He snickers at her _very_ apparent cynicism. " I need to get some of my grades up so that my other will at least stop riding me over that."

"Okay, and what do I get out of it?" He grins wickedly in response. "Noah." She says exasperated.

"Fine, if you don't want to do me, I'll help you with math."

"What?"

"Look, I'm fucking awesome in math." She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "I am, it's my bitch." He says it so casually that she has to bite her lip to keep from laughing out loud.

"I'll think about it."

"Come on, Berry. You help me at things I suck at, I help you at things you suck at." He grins lecherously again. "Speaking of sucking things." She coughs, "So, how 'bout that gag reflex, huh, still nonexistent?"

She turns to look at him, mouth agape. "Berry, looking at me like that, really helping with the imagery, so thanks for the deposit."

"The deposit?" She manages after regaining the power of speech.

"Yep, to the spank bank."

She looks blankly at him, "Spank bank."

"You know…" He makes two quick motions by his crotch with his right hand.

Her eyes go wide again before she closes them. It takes about five seconds before she can open them again, "You are seriously depraved."

"Alright, everyone up here." Ms. Scott calls from the front of the room.

Over the next few weeks Puck makes it a point of popping up in unexpected places to ask her if she's thought about his proposition, but in true Puck fashion, does it in the lewdest ways possible, she blushes every time.

Friday afternoon finds Rachel rummaging through her locker and Finn doing the same, five lockers down. _Yes._ Puck thinks sneaking behind Rachel. "Come to my house, Berry, you know you want to _do it_."

She jumps slightly and sees Finn storming away as she turns. "You did that on purpose."

"What, you know you want geometry help and you can help me in bio.... and English."

"You made people think we're meeting up to have sex."

"No, I didn't. I just know you want to _get it done_."

"Stop it."

He can see her fighting to keep the corners of her mouth from turning up. "I can't tonight. I have dance class."

He rolls his eyes at her, "Like that takes more than an hour."

"Three."

He follows her as she walks from the building, "What _the fuck_ are you doing in dance that takes three hours? My kid sister's class is like forty five minutes."

"I take three different classes on Fridays. As such, I'm at the studio for a couple of hours."

"Seriously?"

"If I'm going to make it in New York, I have to be more that just a singer. And you can't just be good at something. Everyone who's attempting to get onto Broadway is good, you have to have something that makes you special."

"You've heard you sing, right?"

"What? That doesn't even make sense, of course I've heard myself sing."

"Then you know you're set." She blinked in response. "So, text me, so that we can work out a time. I really need this, my mother is really flipping a shit."

"Fine, I'll text you when I get home tonight."

"Excellent. I knew you'd give in."

She can't help herself, "I bet you say that to all the girls."

He just gapes at her, "You know, you've done that to me a couple of times now, but every time, I just can't fucking believe it."

"I don't know what you're referring to."

"Isn't this adorable, the freak and the douche bag."

Both turned to see Santana standing halfway down the hallway with her arms crossed. "No one asked you, Slutty McGee. Don't you have some guy to go bang?"

"It's no wonder that's the only friend you have these days Puck. If you could stop being an asshole for five minutes, which I know is a challenge for you, you might get some normal friends again. You know, ones that don't make you a bigger loser than you are now."

"Fuck off, Lopez."

"Think about it." Santana turned, red and white skirt swishing around her.

"She's right, you know." Rachel said softly. "Being friends with me isn't good for anyone's reputation."

"Like I care what those fuckers think." He scoffs.

"You really don't care about what you're friends think?"

"They're not friends, not real ones anyway. They fucking dropped me the second I made a mistake. And, yes, I know that it was one _huge_ ass mistake. I mean, I could understand Finn, 'cause obviously he should be pissed. But everyone else? What the hell? I didn't do anything to them."

She's just staring at him with a funny look on her face, not saying anything, it's kinda fucking creepy. "What?"

"Its…. Nothing. I'll text you later to set up a time."

He's lying on his bed playing 'Assassin's Creed' later that night when his mother calls up the stairs. "Noah, I'm running behind, can you pick Eden up at dance?"

He'd like nothing more than to be able to say 'No,' but there's the whole baby thing and he really doesn't think he's going to be able to say no to his mother for years. "Yeah, I'll go get her."

He grins when he sees her leaving the dance studio as he's walking out with his sister. "Hey, kid, go sit in the car for a sec."

"Why?"

"Because, I said so. Here's the keys. Don't touch anything though. I have to go talk to someone." He chucks the keys at Eden, snickering slightly when she drops them. "Nice catch kid."

"Jerk." She mutters sticking her tongue out at him.

Rachel's got her back to him and he is grateful. She's got on some sort of back bodysuit, pink tights and some sort of see through pink skirt. It's fucking awesome. Well, it's fucking awesome until the man that she's talking to starts looking at him funny. "Daddy?"

_Shit! I'm checking out her ass while she's talking to her father. _And_ her father _knows_ I'm staring at her ass._ "Hey, Ber… Rachel."

Surprised, Rachel turns around. "Oh, my god. _Why_ are you _everywhere_."

"Rachel!" Her father sounds appalled.

"Sorry. Daddy, this is Noah Puckerman. Noah, this is my father, Alan Berry."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Berry." Puck likes this father better than the other one. One, he's taller than this one, so he's pretty sure he can take him and two this one isn't staring at him like he wishes he were dead. "Rachel, can I talk to you a sec?"

"Go ahead, sweetie. I'll meet you at the car."

"Yes, Noah."

"You ready to stop sucking?" He leans in close, hand on her hip, and whispers in her ear, "Or start, for that matter."

He laughs as the flush starts, somewhere below the neckline of her bodysuit, up her chest and neck and spreads to her cheeks. "Why do you _do_ that?"

"Because your reactions are hilarious."

"I hate you."

"Nah. You like it."

"_Noah!_" He hears his sister whine from his truck.

"Looks like I gotta got. I'll talk to you later, Berry."

"Goodbye, Noah."

He waits until she turns around, starts walking to her dad's car. "Hey, Berry?" When she turns again, "I _really _like that thing you're wearing."

She can hear him laughing as she stomps to the car, climbing in. "What was that all about?"

"It's nothing." She can't quite keep the smile off her face.

"It didn't look like nothing, sweetie."

"_Daddy_. We're friends, we have a couple of the same classes and we're in glee together. You and Dad wanted me to have more friends over the house, so there you go. Noah and I were making plans for tomorrow."

"No."

"What?" Rachel responds in surprise.

"No."

"You and Dad _wanted_ me to have people over, so I'm having someone over and now you _don't_ want me to have him over."

"It's not that I don't want you to have friends to the house Rachel, I do, but not him. Especially if your dad and I aren't going to be home."

"You're not going to be home tomorrow?"

"I have to give a lecture on astrocytomas at OSU tomorrow, Dad and I are staying overnight. So, no you cannot have _that_ boy over."

"What's wrong with _that_ boy? You don't even know him." Rachel replied, barely keeping herself from yelling.

As soon as her father pulled into the driveway Rachel stormed out of the car and into the house, slamming the front door behind her. "Rachel?" Her dad asked curiously.

"RACHEL BARBARA BERRY! I AM NOT DONE TALKING TO YOU."

"Alan? What's going on?"

"Well, _I'm_ done talking to you."

"Rachel! Do not talk to your father that way. What has gotten into you?" Richard asked surprised.

"Noah Puckerman." Alan replied.

Rachel watched as her dad sputtered angrily, "NOT LITTERLY. HE'S MY FRIEND. HE WANTED HELP IN ENGLISH, SO I AM GOING TO TUTOR HIM." Even through the anger, she knows telling her dads that Noah wants help in biology would not go over well right now.

"It's not happening Rachel."

"Dad! You're just as bad as Daddy. You two don't even _know_ him."

"We know enough, young lady. This is a small town; word gets around about that Fabray girl, women twice his age. And if you keep speaking to us like this you _will_ be grounded." Alan said.

"For two people who hate gossip so much, you certainly seem to enjoy spreading it around."

"THAT'S IT. WE ARE YOUR PARENTS, NOT YOUR FRIENDS. YOU DONOT GET TO SPEAK TO US LIKE THAT. GO TO YOUR ROOM, WHERE YOU CAN SPEND THE REST OF THE WEEKEND." Richard yelled.

She's watching the vein throbbing in her father's forehead with growing fascination and she's so angry herself that she can't help pushing him further. "FINE, I'LL TELL HIM WE CAN'T STUDY TOGETHER. I HOPE YOU'RE REALLY _FUCKING _HAPPY."

She's not sure who's the most surprised by her language, her dad, her daddy, or herself. Either way, figuring she has about ten seconds before they recover she turns on her heel and stomps her way up to her bedroom. She hears her daddy yell that instead of just being grounded for the weekend that she's now grounded for the month, just as she slams the door behind her. She turns the lock with a satisfying snick and shoves her iPod into the dock.

Spinning the wheel until she finds the band she wants. _Perfect, they may be my guilty pleasure, but both Dad and Daddy hate them._ She turns the volume up just as the lyrics kick in. "I, I'm driving back on black, just got my license back. I go this feeling in m veins, this train is coming off the track. I'll ask polite if the devil needs a ride, because the angel on my right ain't hanging out with me tonight."

Flopping onto her bed she pulls out her phone. _**You'll never guess what just happened.**_

And to give credit where credit is due: the song Rachel sings is "Mad World" by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules. The one she listens to is "Animals" by Nickelback


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: So I want to say thanks to everyone who took the time to review. I really appreciate the feedback. The response is really more than I could have hoped for, so thanks again! And definitely let me know what you think of this chapter!

A great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do. –Walter Bagehot

A large volume of adventures may be grasped within this little span of life, by him who interests his heart in everything. –Laurence Sterne

**Chapter 4**

Rachel walked down the stairs at exactly seven fifteen the next morning, she'd already had her protein shake, had already been on the elliptical, and was showered and dressed. She'd overreacted last night, she could see that now. She shouldn't have yelled at her parents, she should have reasoned with them, compromised.

She'd come up with a plan while she was exercising: first she'd apologize for her behavior, second she'd ask to meet Noah at the library to show they were serious about studying, third she'd ask to have Noah over after she was finished being grounded and while her dads were home so that they could meet him. It was perfect; there was no way that it couldn't work.

Smiling she stepped into the kitchen to see her dad on the phone. Thinking nothing of it Rachel sat down on a stool at the kitchen counter. "Alright, Ms. Carlson, thank you. No, we'll be back this evening. Yes, we'll see you this afternoon. Thank you again."

"You and Daddy are coming home tonight? I thought you were staying in Columbus?"

"There was a change of plans we'll be coming home tonight. Ms. Carlson will stay with you during the day."

Rachel blinked at him, sure she had heard him wrong. "Wait, what?"

"Ms. Carlson will be here at eight, she'll stay until Daddy and I get home tonight."

"You got me a _babysitter_?" Her voice had gone shrill at the end. "I haven't needed a babysitter since I was eleven years old."

"If you're going to act like a child, Rachel, you will be treated like one."

Rachel could feel the tightness burning low in her belly, but restrained herself from speaking. Nothing that could come out of her mouth would help matters. Pressing her lips together tightly and breathing heavily through her nose Rachel nodded her head twice and spun on her heel.

Stomping up the stairs as loudly as she could she didn't respond to her dad calling her before slamming the door as hard as possible, locking it behind her.

"Rachel!" She heard through the door.

"Sorry," said insincerely, "I'm being a _child_." _So much for not making things worse._

"Rachel, open this door."

"No." Stalking to her iHome Rachel set her iPod to random and turned it as loud as possible. Picking up her phone Rachel typed, _**Meet me at the library at 12:30.**_

**Shit, ur dads bought that**

_**Not exactly.**_

**?**

_**I'll explain later. Can you be there?**_

**Yea c u then**

Rachel rolled her eyes, why was it so hard to type full sentences?

At twelve fifteen Rachel ventured down the stairs again. "Hello, dear."

Rachel turned toward the older woman, smiling, "Hello, Ms. Carlson. How are you?"

"I'm doing well, dear, how are you?"

"Okay. Ms. Carlson, do you think that you would be able to bring me to the library?"

"Rachel, your dad said that you were grounded."

"I know, it's just that I have an English paper on Macbeth. It's a literary analysis, so we have to use some of the reference books at the library. We have to have at least three sources that are not from the internet."

"Well, I suppose if it's for school your fathers wont mind."

"Thank you Ms. Carlson, I'll go get my books."

Pulling up to the library twenty five minutes later Rachel breathed a sigh of relief after experiencing one of the most terrify events of her life. "I'll be back in two hours, Rachel."

"Okay, Ms. Carlson. Thank you." Rachel replied, already thinking of ways that she could avoid getting back in the car with Ms. Carlson.

Walking into the library lobby Rachel spotted Puck, leaning against the wall, an armful of books under one arm. She took a moment to study him before saying anything. "Hello, Noah."

"Hey, Berry." He replied, "You know you're like ten minutes late, right? _And_ _I'm_ here on time."

Rachel scowled at him, "Yes, I'm aware. How was I supposed to know it would take twenty five minutes to get here or that I was going see my life flash before my eyes no less than six times?"

"Dude, don't you live like five or six miles from here?"

"Eight."

"How the fuck could it take you that long to go eight miles?"

"I'll tell you in a minute, let's go find a quiet room."

Puck shook his head slightly as Rachel grabbed his hand and pulled him in he direction of the front desk. "Excuse me?"

The dark haired women at the desk turned towards them, "Can I help you?"

"Can we have one of the quiet rooms? I know that you normally have to reserve them, but we have to review and I don't want to disturb anyone." Rachel said in a rush.

The woman blinked at Rachel, "I think we have a couple, but let me double check." The woman clicked a couple of keys on the computer, "Okay, guys you can take room seven. I just need one of your library cards."

"Thank you." Rachel said handing over her card.

Puck didn't say anything as she tugged him down the aisle to their room. "So, care to explain why it took you so damn long to get here?" He asked as soon as she shut the door behind them.

Rachel sighed dramatically, "You know how I told you that my dads didn't want you to come over when they weren't there?"

"Yeah, about that, didn't you say that your dads didn't agree to your crazy plan?"

"I never got the chance to ask them." Rachel replied sitting down at the desk. "I had it all worked out, I was going to sit down with them and reasonably explain my behavior."

Puck snickered, "What?" Rachel asked.

"You told your dads that you hoped they were 'fucking happy,' did you really think that a clam morning chat was going to make everything okay?"

Rachel shrugged, "It's worked anytime we've had an argument before."

"Have you ever said fuck to your parents before?"

"Okay, no," she conceded, "but in theory it should have worked."

Puck laughed again, "Noah, it's not funny, I've never seen them so mad before."

"Rach, it's a word, one I still haven't heard you say by the way, I think that they'll get over it."

Rachel blinked at his use of her name, but continued on, "_I_ don't curse, especially not _at_ my parents."

"Obviously you do. Come on say it, say 'fuck.'"

"I will not, as you've seen it's worked so well for me thus far."

"I'm going to get you to say it, don't you worry, but since it's not happening now, tell me how you got here if your parents grounded you."

"Right, well, when I got up this morning my dad was on the phone, talking to the woman who used to babysit me when I was little…"

Rachel trailed off when Puck let out a loud bark of laughter, "Your parents got you a babysitter?" He started laughing again, "That's the funniest fucking thing that I've heard in a really long time."

Rachel shot him a dirty look, "I'm glad that my humiliation serves as fodder for your entertainment."

Still laughing Puck responded, "I only caught some of that, but come on, you're sixteen years old and you have a damn babysitter. How is that not funny?"

"Alright, yes, I can see how the fact that someone our age has a babysitter is entertaining, but _I _don't find it funny."

"That's because you're the one with the babysitter." Puck's snickers stopped with the dark look that Rachel shot him. "Okay, continue with the story, so how is it that you got here?"

"Well, of course Ms. Carlson knew that I was grounded, but I told her that I needed to do research for that Macbeth paper we have due Friday, I just neglected to mention that I was already finished with it."

"That's fucked up, we're definitely going to need to work on the normal teenager thing. Step one: procrastination, step two: cursing."

"That's ridiculous, anyway," Rachel interrupted, "I asked Ms. Carlson to drive me here. As a side note, do not get into a two thousand pound vehicle with a ninety-year-old woman who can barely see. We almost got into six or seven accidents. It was absolutely terrifying."

Throwing an arm around Rachel's chair Puck smiled, "Well since you risked your life to get here, we might as well make it worth your while."

"I'm not demonstrating my lack of gag reflex."

"That's not what I was talking about, but I like where your mind's at. _I_ was thinking geometry, but if you wanna switch subjects I'm up for it."

It was Rachel's turn to snicker, "I bet you are."

"I let you have that one. Are you're dads gonna be okay with this?"

Rachel sighed, "I don't plan to tell them."

Puck snickered, "Rachel Berry, midget badass."

Rachel rolled her eyes, "_Little person._ Anyway, lets get started, Ms. Carlson should be back in about an hour and a half." She continued opening her math book. "Can we start with indirect proofs?"

An hour and twenty minutes Puck was incredibly frustrated, "Come on, the lady's flipping the fuck out about her hands being dirty."

Rachel blinked, "It's not about her hands being dirty." Puck looked at her expectantly. "When Lady Macbeth says, 'Out, damned spot; out, I say. One, two,—why, then 'tis time to do't. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier and afeard? What need we fear who knows it when none can call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?' She doesn't mean that her hands are actually dirty; it shows her descent into madness. She's just manipulated her husband into killing the king and now her guilt is overwhelming."

"So basically she's batshit crazy and is imagining blood on her hands because she conned her pussy of a husband into killing the king so they could rule."

Rachel opened her mouth, but closed it quickly. "I wouldn't use those words, but pretty much." She glanced down at her watch. "I guess we should be going, Ms. Carlson is going to be here in a couple of minutes."

"I think I'm gonna stick around for a little bit longer, I still have to work on my paper."

"Okay, call or text me if you need any help."

Puck ginned lecherously, "Well, actually, I could use some help with…"

"With your paper, Noah." Rachel interrupted. "Also, your disgusting."

"You offered."

Rachel shook her head and smiled, "I'll see you on Monday."

Just as she turned to leave the room Puck grabbed her by the wrist, "No, seriously. Thanks. I have to show everyone that I'm not just the guy who got his best friend's girl pregnant, you know?"

Rachel looked down at his hand, felt butterflies in her stomach. She resisted the urge to bring her hand to his cheek, barely. "Um, sure, don't worry about it. I mean you're helping me out too, so I should say thank you as well. In actuality you're the one that came up with the idea, so really you shouldn't be thanking me at all."

"Uh, okay." Puck responded, unconsciously rubbing his thumb once up the inside of Rachel's wrist before letting it go.

"Goodbye, Noah."

"See ya, Berry."

That night Rachel was just climbing into bed when her phone beeped. Brows furrowing as she read the message, she just shook her head in confusion.

**What sound does a rock make when it hits a window?**

Before she could reply Rachel heard a knock at her door. She turned the sound off and slipped the phone under her pillow (her dads had neglected to take her phone away and she didn't want to temp them) before opening the door.

"We wanted to say goodnight, Rachel."

"Goodnight."

"Rachel, pumpkin, can we come in?"

Rachel stepped back, allowing her dads to enter, "Okay."

Her dads sat next to each other on her bed, leaving the desk chair for Rachel, "Sweetie, we know that you're unhappy with us, but there are consequences to unacceptable behavior."

Rachel sighed, "I know that. It's just…" She trailed off, took a deep breath, "It's just, you don't know Noah. He needs help in a couple of classes and we're friends so he asked me to help him."

"Rachel, we may not know him personally, but that boy has a reputation in this town. We don't want you to get hurt. We're trying to protect you." Alan said.

"What do you think is going to happen?"

"Pumpkin, he got that Fabray girl pregnant."

"And you think that he's going to get me pregnant as well?"

"Rachel, he's a hoodlum."

Rachel couldn't help herself, she started to giggle, "A hoodlum, daddy?"

"It's not funny." Richard replied, but he was smiling. "I've seen the way he looks at you, pumpkin. We both have."

That gave Rachel pause, "There's nothing… We're not… He doesn't think about me like that. We're just friends, dad."

"Sweetheart, we've been sixteen year old boys."

"There's nothing there." The way her heart had sped up that afternoon when Puck had held her wrist flashed into Rachel's mind. "And he's not a hoodlum. There were two people there that night, people seem to forget that. Quinn had as much to do with what happened as Noah did. He knows that he made a mistake, but he's trying to make up for it. That's _why_ he wants me to tutor him, he wants to better himself."

"Okay, how about this, after you're done being grounded, we'll call Sharon and invite the Puckermans over for dinner so we can get to know your Noah. Then we'll think about the tutoring."

Rachel grinned, "He's not my Noah, but thank you."

"You're welcome." Richard replied, standing. "We love you, you know that, right. We only want what's best for you."

"I know. I love you too." Rachel answered rising to her toes to kiss each of her fathers goodnight.

Rachel locked the door as she shut it behind her fathers, feeling twinges of guilt as she pulled her phone from under her pillow. Looking down she had two more texts.

**Come on what kinda sound does a rock make when it hits a window**

**I know u know**

Laughing a bit to herself, Rachel thought for a moment before typing a reply.

_**Click?**_

**It took u 15 mins to come up w click?**

Rachel was about to type her reply when another text came in.

**Click**

"What?" Rachel muttered at the phone confused.

**Click click**

Rachel looked from her phone to her window with realization. She walked to her window looking out at the backyard, smiling when she saw Puck with a grin on his face.

_**Go to the back door, I'll let you in. And be quiet!**_

She opened her bedroom door slowly, creeping down the stairs so her dads wouldn't hear. Quickly opening the back door she ushered Puck inside, "What are you doing here?" She asked.

Puck didn't answer, couldn't, she was wearing some sort of loose pink tank top with holes cut out into flower shapes and ribbons which showed more skin than he'd ever seen from her. The matching pink boyshorts were barely longer than the tank top and he was pretty sure were meant to be panties. He just stared at her for a moment before saying, "Holy shit."

"What?" She asked self-consciously.

He gestured to her silently, "Holy shit." He repeated.

"Yes, you said…" She trailed off as a creak sounded from upstairs. "Oh god, they'll be so angry if they find you here." Then, much to Puck's surprise, Rachel grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the stairs.

She put her finger to her lips as they passed her fathers' room. _Like I need to be told that. They'll fucking kill me if they see her dressed like that sneaking me into her room in the middle of the night._

Sighing in relief Rachel locked the door behind her. "Now, what are you doing here at," she glanced at her iHome, "ten forty five?"

"You have to get dressed." Puck blurted.

"Excuse me?" Rachel asked in confusion, glancing down at herself.

She blushed furiously as Puck continued. "Clothes. See I had a plan, but now you're here, damn near naked, and I can't remember the plan." Rachel crossed her arms over her breasts, drawing Puck's attention down, and confirming his suspicion that she was definitely not wearing a bra. Not that he was looking. "Fuck. Clothes."

Puck crossed the room to Rachel's dresser opening a drawer at random. What he saw had him choking. "What are you… Get _out_ of there."

"_Holy shit. When_ do you wear this?" Puck asked pulling out a hot pink, lacey bra with a tie up front. _Tie up front!_ Was all he could think.

Rachel slammed the drawer shut with her hip, "Noah! Give it to…."

"You do _not _wanna finish that sentence." Puck interrupted handing her back the bra.

Rachel blinked, holding the bra in both hands behind her back. "Jesus Christ." Puck said turning around and heading towards her closet. "Please tell me you have pants in here." He said as he heard her drawer slam again.

"Why am I getting dressed? I was almost in bed."

"Right, we're going to St. Katherine's." Rachel stared without making a sound. "You know, that abandoned hospital from like the thirties."

"I know what St. Katherine's is, but I'm not going there."

Puck grabbed her by the arms, pulled her to her toes, "It's awesome." He dropped her as he pulled a pair of jeans from a hanger.

"It's _illegal_." She replied as he grabbed a black tee shirt.

"Not if we don't get caught." He answered throwing the clothes at her. "Go put them on."

"That doesn't even make sense. Of course it's still illegal if you don't get caught. You just don't get in trouble if you don't get caught."

"Exactly. Besides, there's like seven or eight different buildings and only one security guard. What are the chances that we'd be caught?" Puck spun her around, marched her to her bathroom and slapped her ass. "Hurry up."

With wide eyes Rachel whipped around causing Puck to snicker. "Come on, I've been there a dozen times, it's the shit." His hands settled on her hips, "_Come on_, Rach, there's all this ancient medical shit, it's sick."

The grip on the clothes in her arms tightened and her breath sped up. Looking up at him Rachel chewed on her bottom lip, "Fine, but if we _do_ get caught I'm blaming everything on you and telling everyone that you kidnapped me."

A half-hour later Puck and Rachel were walking quickly towards an eight foot tall chain link fence, flashlights in hand. "I still don't see why you had to park so far away."

"Because if I parked any closer it would be like a neon sign saying we were in there."

"I understand the need not to park in front of the building, but _four_ blocks?"

"Trust me."

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

Puck grinned at her, "Now you're sure you can climb the fence?"

"I'll have you know that I am in fantastic shape."

"Oh, I remember."

Rachel punched him in the arm, "Shut up."

Puck glanced around, "Oaky, remember, up and over as quick as you can. You want a boost?"

Rachel bit her lip nervously as they approached, "No, I'm fine. Lets just get this over with."

"It'll be awesome. Now!"

The both scrambled up and over the fence. Puck made it to the ground first, but just barely. "I told you I would be fine."

"Yeah you did." Puck grabbed her hand, linked their fingers, "Come on, let's take a look in that building to the far right. I've never been in that one. I heard that it's where they kept the _real_ crazies."

Rachel shivered; she tried to convince herself it was from the cool night air and not Puck's hand. "Scared?"

"No. It's a bit cold."

"Uh huh."

"I'm not scared." And to prove it Rachel quickened her stride, pulling the heavy iron door open and walking in before Puck. "Oh my god." She muttered as Puck slipped in behind her.

"Whoa, creepy." He said. They'd entered a long hallway, the faded green paint and plaster peeling from the walls. Across from them someone had painted what he thought might be an alien. It went floor to ceiling, had the body of a woman, but with four arms, and a skull for a head. Two of the arms were outstretched with fisted hands; the other two were raised next to the head, both holding skulls.

Puck pulled her along, sidestepping a rusted bed frame and two overturned wooden wheel chairs. "Come on."

Walking down the hall they peered into open doors, most were the same. Peeling plaster and paint, some had decrepit furniture, but most were empty. At the end of the hall they came to a winding metal staircase. Most of the steps were rusted, a good portion had gaping holes in the center where the metal had been weaker.

"Think we should go up?" Puck asked looking at Rachel.

She looked carefully at the stairs, "I, I don't know. Those stairs don't look particularly safe."

"Yeah, but I was really kinda hoping to see, like chains on the wall or something, for when they had to deal with the super crazies."

"I have to admit, though the possibility was unlikely," Rachel paused as Puck looked down at her, "I was hoping we'd see something of the sort as well, not that this hasn't been fascinating."

"Yeah," Puck looked longingly up the stairs, "probably shouldn't risk it though. Come on, let's head down this way." He said turning to the left.

"This must be a children's ward." Rachel murmured studying a painting of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Puck continued down the hall, stopping at the first open door. "Holy hell. The _fuck_ you think this is?"

Rachel followed him slipping inside the small, windowless room. It was approximately ten feet by ten feet and unlike the rest of the hospital the cinder block walls had not been painted; the only furniture was a single rickety wooden chair facing the far corner. There was a large splattering stain on the concrete floor, somewhere between maroon and brown in color. On the wall written in the same substance was the phrase, 'The mind is it's own place, and in itself can make a heav'n of hell, a hell of heav'n.'

"My god." Rachel muttered, growing pale.

"What the hell _is_ that?"

"I have no idea, but that," Rachel inclined her head to the wall, "it's a quote from _Paradise Lost_. Satan is speaking to Beelzebub just after Satan and his minions have been cast out of heaven and into hell."

"Shit's fucking weird. Let's get out of here."

They'd just turned to leave when a light from down the hall zeroed in on them. "Hey! You kids, what the hell are you doing in here?"

"Shit, run!" Puck muttered sprinting down the hallway, dragging Rachel behind him. "When we get outside turn your flashlight off." He panted.

The raced passed the alien and onto the grounds, clicked off their flashlights, and plunged themselves into darkness. They took off in the direction of the fence, desperately trying to put distance between themselves and the security guard.

The vaulted the fence, Puck jumped from the top and attempted to catch his breath while Rachel shimmied down. "Come on. Walk as fast as you can without running."

"B, b, but we're not on the property anymore." Rachel panted.

"Just in case he calls the cops, we don't want to draw too much attention to ourselves."

They both breathed a sigh of relief when they made it to Puck's truck without incident. Climbing into the cab Rachel broke out in to a fit of giggles. "Are you seriously fucking laughing right now?" Puck asked incredulously sticking the key into the ignition.

"I can't help it." Rachel managed in between giggles, "It must be a nervous reaction."

Puck shook his head and turned the key. The truck sputtered a few times before being reduced to a series of clicks. "Shit."

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, sometimes it takes a few tries to start up." He turned the key again, but got the same result. "Fuck." He smacked the dashboard a few times. "Start you piece of crap."

The words had hardly left his mouth when they saw the red and blue flashing. "Oh god, they're going to know it was us." Rachel whispered horrified.

Going on instinct, and knowing they had a minute, minute and a half if they were lucky, Puck pulled off his shirt, tossing it behind the seat and unsnapped his jeans. "What are you doing?" Rachel asked voice about two octaves higher than normal.

"Trust me." Puck said grabbing her legs, pulling her across the bench, and turning her so one leg was bent and resting against the back of the seat and the other was planted on the floor.

Bracing herself on her hands behind her Rachel nodded. "We have to make it look like we're you know, in case they come over." He whispered quickly, reaching for the button to her jeans.

He'd just finished unzipping them when the movement of the flashing stopped somewhere behind them. Puck tangled his hands in her hair as she fell back with an "unf," as all the air rushed from her lungs.

"Sorry." He muttered a second before pressing his lips to hers.

Rachel had a moment to think, _We're going to be in so much trouble_, before Puck's hands made their way from her hair slowly down her body anchoring themselves at her hips, and all thought flew from her mind.

She threw herself into the kiss, her arms wrapping around Puck's back, pulling him closer. Puck felt the change and couldn't help himself from responding. He tore his mouth from hers nipping at her jaw, reviling in each sound of pleasure pulled from her mouth.

His left hand moved slowly from her hip, up her side, pushing her tee shirt up with it. Her breath caught and her nails dug into his back when he stopped just below her breast, without touching it. Rachel moaned softly when he rubbed his right thumb along her hipbone. He grinned as he made his way back to her mouth, filing away the spot for future reference.

The second time Puck ran his thumbnail along the inside curve of her hipbone. Rachel moaned again and bucked her hips into his. Puck went wild. He jerked her arms above her head pinning them there with his right hand. With his left he jerked the foot she had on the floor of the truck around his waist and ground himself into her.

Rachel cried out and arched herself into him just as there was a knock at the window. They looked at each other with wide eyes and breathing heavily. At the second knock Puck pulled himself away from Rachel.

He was pretty sure he was going to remember the way she looked right then for the rest of his life. Her messy hair, flushed face, bruised lips, her shirt bunched up right below her breasts, pants open, and panties showing. _White with gold stars. _He mentally snickered as he turned to the officer at his window and tried to look sheepish.

"Um, hello officer." He muttered to the late middle-aged police officer catching Rachel attempting to straighten herself out from the corner of his eye.

"You kids been out at St. Katherine's?" The officer asked.

"What?" Rachel asked dazedly.

The officer directed his flashlight at Rachel, took in both of their appearances and chuckled softly. "I guess not, as you two have been up to other things. You're parents know you kids are out this late?"

"No, sir." Rachel said softly.

"Her parents…" Puck started.

"No need to explain, son." The officer interrupted, "My wife's parents still don't like me. We've been married twenty two years, got three kids."

"Um." Puck replied, not really sure where this was heading.

"Point is her parents are going like you a lot less than they do now if they find out what you two've been up to. I suggest you take your pretty girl home."

"Uh, yes sir." Puck mumbled as the officer backed away. Praying to all that was holy he turned the key and nearly kissed the steering wheel when it started.

The drive back to Rachel's house was quiet, with Rachel rooting around under his seat. "The hell are you doing?"

"Trying to find your shirt."

"Don't worry about it. I'll find it in the morning."

Fidgeting as Puck pulled to a stop around the corner from her house Rachel nodded. "Sorry I can't pull up closer."

"No, I get it. Harder to get caught this way." Rachel leaned over, after debating for a moment, and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."

Puck looked at her incredulously, "For almost getting you arrested?"

"For bringing me. That was the most fun I've _ever_ had." She replied, hopping out of the truck and walking quickly towards her house.

Also, the whole abandoned hospital thing is something kids used to do when I was in high school. I, however, was always too much of a wuss to ever go. So, I guess I got to live vicariously through Puck and Rachel. =)


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: First, I want to thank everyone again, I'm glad you all are enjoying it! Second, to address a couple of things, yes, Quinn is pregnant. You'll actually be seeing a bit of her in this chapter. Up 'till now it's been pretty much exclusively Puck and Rachel, but that's going to be expanding a bit in this chapter. Also, I have to say I really enjoyed this past week's episode. I was half convinced they were not going to make Shelby Rachel's mother because everyone wanted it and because of how much Lea Michele and Idina Menzel look alike. And I have to say that finding out that Rachel was born in December of 94, kind of freaked me out. One, because it made me feel _really_ old. Two because that means she's supposed to be 14 when the show starts. _14!_ Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter and remember to let me know what you think!

**Chapter 5**

_The best proof of love is trust. - Joyce Brothers_

_A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. - Anonymous_

Monday morning Rachel was a nervous wreck. It had taken her an extra twenty minutes to decide what to wear after deciding the outfit she'd picked out the night before just wouldn't do. As a result her daddy hadn't been able to drive her to school, so her dad had to. She was fidgeting nervously in the seat and could not stop thinking about Puck.

They'd texted a few times on Sunday, but she hadn't seen him and they certainly hadn't spoken. She had no idea how she was supposed to react to him. The last time they had kissed they had ended up dating, even if it had only been for a few days. Were they going to start dating now? She didn't know if that was such a good idea, it hadn't worked so well last time. But this time she actually _liked_ him, they were already friends. There was definitely an attraction; she couldn't deny that, she certainly _wanted_ him. _Oh god, what if he doesn't want me._

Shaking her head she decided that that was not the case, she'd felt his reaction to her. Thinking about it now had her rubbing her legs together. _If that police officer hadn't knocked when he did we wouldn't have stopped. I'd have lost my virginity to Noah in that truck. Then again if that police officer hadn't shown up at all it never would have started._ Huffing loudly Rachel closed her eyes. _God, if his hand had been a little further over he'd have been rubbing my…_

"Rachel? What is going on with you?" Her dad asked looking at her curiously.

Rachel jerked out of her thoughts, desperately trying to keep from blushing, "Nothing, dad, what would be going on?"

"Rachel, you fidget when you've got something on your mind, and you haven't been able to sit still this entire ride."

"It's nothing, I have a history test first period. I'm just a little preoccupied." It wasn't a lie, not really, she did have a history test, and she was preoccupied. She just wasn't preoccupied about her test.

"Alright, well good luck. And remember, straight home after school. I want you to call either daddy or myself, from the house phone, when you get home."

"There's geometry extra help today, I was supposed to stay after."

"Fine, I'll remind daddy. What time does it end?"

"Around five, I think."

"Will you need a ride home?"

"No, the buses run until six, I'll be fine."

"Alright, pumpkin, have a good day. Daddy and I will be home around six, six thirty, we'll call if we're going to be late."

"Thanks dad, you too."

Smiling to herself Rachel made her way to her locker; she loved school at this time. There was hardly anyone in the halls, everything was peaceful, relaxed. She thought about stopping by Noah's locker first, but decided she wanted to drop her books off before looking for him. She was caught slightly off guard when she saw him waiting for her. "Good morning, Noah. What are you doing here so early?"

"I wanted to see you."

Rachel's heart stopped, "You did?"

"I wanted to make sure you were okay after Saturday night."

She smiled hugely, "I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?"

"Shit, I almost got you arrested then jumped you in my truck."

Rachel smirked. Puck blinked in response, _Since when the fuck does she smirk?_ "I wasn't complaining."

"Yeah, I noticed that." Puck backed her up against the lockers, hands at her waist. He glanced around, didn't see anyone, and let his thumbs find their way under the waistband of her skirt rubbing small circles.

Rachel simply forgot how to breathe as her head thumped against the lockers. "And that noise you made when I touched you here," his nails scrapped along her hipbones and Rachel let out a choked sob as she felt a rush of heat between her thighs, "that's the one, left me hard for hours."

Dimly Rachel heard voices as more and more students were coming in. Puck let go of her, took a step back, "Have fun in class."

Her breath let out with a whoosh. He had to be kidding; there was no way she was going to be able to concentrate on anything now.

He was driving her crazy. Rachel sighed heavily as she sat in her seat in biology. She wasn't sure how she was going to make it through this class. All day he had been popping up unexpectedly, just to _touch_ her. Any time they had seen each other he had made a point of brushing up against her, placing his hand at the small of her back, grabbing her hand, anything really. And her body was on fire; every time she thought she had herself under control he would do it again.

He was smirking when he walked into the class and plopped down in the seat next to her. He threw an arm around her shoulder as she scowled at him. He watched her suck in a breath as he ran his thumb lightly from her shoulder to her neck. Trying to look as innocent as possible he smiled at her, without stopping the movement of his fingers, "What?"

"You know what." She tried to sound stern, but his hand just felt so _good_.

"Explain it to me."

"Noah, I can't think when you touch me." His hand stilled. Rachel, who had been looking forward, to give the appearance of paying attention to the teacher, looked at him.

"That's a dangerous thing to say to me, Rach." His eyes had gone dark, Rachel swallowed heavily.

Heat flooded her body. It was ridiculous, they were in a room full of people and all she could think about was the way his body had pressed hers into the seat of his truck, how close his hands had been to where she'd _really_ wanted them. She knew pressing him now was a bad idea, logically, but she couldn't help herself. "Why?" She asked breathlessly.

His hand tightened on her shoulder, almost to the point of pain. He looked into her eyes; she _knew_ what she was doing to him. He raised an eyebrow; _Two can play at that game._ "Because," he whispered, his eyes never leaving hers, "it makes me want to bend you over this table and take you from behind."

Her eyes went glassy, her pen slipped from her grasp, and she gasped, audibly. A couple of people around them turned around briefly to look at them. "Oh." She offered weakly.

Ms. Scott shot them an annoyed look. "Mr. Puckerman, Miss Berry, eyes up here if you would."

They walked out of the classroom together when he bell rang. Thankfully people had stopped staring at them months ago. "I'm gonna stop by my locker. I'll see you in math."

Rachel stopped, "Wait, why are you going to math? We don't have a test I don't know about do we?" Vaguely she heard David Karofsky and a few other jocks laughing down the hall.

Puck snickered at her panicked eyes, "Chill, no, there's no test." He shrugged, "I just figure if I'm gonna be tutoring you I should at least go."

"Okay, I'll see you there." Blowing out a breath Rachel ducked into the bathroom, if she was going to spend another forty minutes in class with him she needed to compose herself.

She was halfway into the bathroom when she heard the quiet sniffling. She stopped dead, not quite sure what she should do, turn around or continue into the bathroom. She had just made up her mind to leave, after all she hated when people walked in on her crying, when Quinn walked out of one of the stalls.

"Perfect. What do you want?"

"Nothing, I was just going to leave." Rachel replied. She turned to leave, but turned back to Quinn, "Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?"

"I'm sorry."

"It's nothing, just Karofsky being an asshole and these stupid pregnancy hormones."

Taking a deep breath Rachel continued, this was one of the longest, mostly civil, conversations she and Quinn had ever had. "He's an idiot who gets pleasure out of embarrassing others."

"Well he's not exactly wrong, is he? I'm sixteen and pregnant. I _am_ a whore."

Rachel shook her head, "No, you're not." Quinn stared at her, "You're not. You made a stupid mistake, yes. But it's not a defining personal characteristic."

Quinn stared at her again, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Rachel replied digging through her purse. "Here." She said handing a small tube to Quinn. "Eye makeup remover. To help with the mascara."

Quinn swallowed, "Thanks." Rachel turned to leave, "You know you could have told me that Karofsky was right and called me a whore too. No one would blame you. I've been really awful to you."

"Yeah, but I've been where you are, Quinn." At Quinn's raised eyebrows she continued, "Well, not exactly where you are. And like I said, Karofsky's an idiot, why would I agree with him on anything?"

They grinned at each other for a second before Rachel turned to leave. _Huh,_ she thought as she exited the bathroom, _I might have just made another friend. Who'd have thought_?

She'd barely made it out of the bathroom when someone grabbed her arm roughly, "So, Freak, whatcha up to? Or I guess, since I've seen you around with Puckerman I could ask what you've been down on."

"You're disgusting. I'm going to class. And if you do not unhand me I will make sure that my dads have the full force of the American Civil Liberties Union down on you."

Karofsky tightened his grip on her arm. Rachel fought the urge to wince. "I could tell you what you could go down on." She pulled her arm from his grasp. "Unless you're too tired from your little meeting with Quinn in the bathroom. I can make sure it's all over school in the morning. The freak and the slut."

"She's not a slut."

"She's knocked up at sixteen, that's exactly what she is."

"She made a mistake, once. How many girls have you slept with?"

"Why, you looking to be one of them?"

Rachel ducked under his arm to head to class, turned, "Not in the slightest."

"You're loss, I guess I can go back to Quinn. I mean everyone knows how easily she gives it up."

Rachel, without being fully aware of what she was doing, dropped her books and took several steps in his direction. A look of confusion crossed his face, but it lasted only a moment, before being replaced with a look of pain as Rachel kneed him in the groin. As he doubled over, cupping himself with both hands, Rachel slammed her fist into his face.

The crunch of bone on bone brought her back to herself,_ I really hope that's his nose and not my hand. _Picking up her books she left Karofsky in a heap as she bolted down the hallway. _There's no way I can go to class right now._ She made her way to the auditorium and took out her phone.

_**Come to the auditorium.**_

She waited for several minutes, but received no response. She was gathering her things when she felt hands encircling her waist. She let out a yip of surprise and raised her hand to smack her attacker.

"Whoa." Puck said grabbing her wrist right before it made contact with his face. "Did you ask me here just so you could smack me around." He paused for a moment, "Although."

"Noah." She said with a half laugh. "You scared me. I thought you were… Never mind, thank you for coming."

"Oh, _anytime_." Rachel snorted in response. "I have to say my mom is going to be really disappointed, she thinks you're a good influence on me, but here you are asking me to ditch class with you."

Rachel's face darkened, "I'm sorry, you're right. We should get back."

"Hey, I thought we were over this?" Puck looked at her for a moment, "What's up? Are you okay?"

"David Karofsky…" She started.

Anger flashed across his face. He grabbed both her arms, noticing the way she winced slightly, "Did he touch you."

"What, no. Well, he grabbed my arm, but not the way you're thinking."

"Let me see."

"Noah, it's fine, it's nothing."

"It was enough that you winced when I touched it. And you freaked the fuck out when I came in here."

"You startled me."

"Rachel, let me see your arm." Watching her face he took a step closer. He nodded at her button down shirt, "You have anything on under that?" She just stared at him with wide eyes, shook her head. Sighing he picked up their books, grabbed her hand, "Come on."

They were stopped at his locker when she was able to speak again, "What are we doing?"

"We're getting the hell out of here."

"But, what if we get caught?"

"Rach, we almost got arrested for nighttime b 'n e, and we're already skipping class. Are you really afraid of getting caught?"

"B 'n e?"

"Breaking and entering."

"Oh, and I guess not."

"Cool, now lets grab your crap and bust this taco stand."

She snickered as she spun her lock, "'Bust this taco stand?'"

"What? It's awesome."

Rachel shook her head, shoved books into her backpack, "If you say so."

The stopped suddenly when they heard Mr. Shuester's voice. "Em, what am I going to do? You should have heard her, it was heartbreaking."

Puck and Rachel looked at each other, shrugging.

"I don't know, Will, but you can't keep treating her differently." Miss Pillsbury replied.

"I know _that_, but every time I see her I think about Terri. I know it's not logical, and there is no actual resemblance, but I look at Rachel and I see her."

"You do realize that Rachel telling Finn that he was not the father of Quinn's child is nothing like what Terri did to you, right?"

"I know that, it's more the manipulation part. Terri wanted me to stay so she put on this elaborate scam to keep me. Rachel told Finn, not because she wanted to be a good friend, but because she wanted him to leave Quinn so they could be together."

"How could you possibly know that?"

"I overheard her talking to Quinn after it happened."

"Whatever reason she did it, Will, you have to stop treating her the way you have been. We're educators, and regardless of how we feel about our students we have to treat them all fairly. Even if they are as annoying and abrasive as Rachel."

Rachel looked stricken as she bolted the rest of the way down the hall. "Damn it, Rachel, hold up."

"He really _does_ hate me."

"Then Shue's an idiot. Rachel you are one of the most awesome people I have ever known. Who else would have gone a trip to St. Katherine's with me."

"I'm sure that you've been there with a number of your friends Noah." Her voice was hollow.

"Okay, I've been with a couple of people, but no one else that would have made nearly getting caught so enjoyable. Plus, you're willing to help me out with some of my classes. And you make sex jokes, which is possibly the most random thing about you."

He could see the tears forming in her eyes, "Please don't cry."

"I'm not going to cry."

"You sure?"

She nodded as they hurried out to his truck, "So, where are you taking me?"

"Your dads home?"

"Not now, but they will be."

"What time?"

"Sixish."

"There you go, we'll head to your house."

"No!" He glanced over at her curiously, "My neighbors will probably tell my dads that I had you over and then I'll be grounded for even longer."

"Okay, we'll go to my house then. My mom's working a mid shift today and Eden's going to a friend's house after school. They wont be home until seven, at the earliest."

It wasn't until Rachel was surveying his room that he brought up her arm again. "Okay, let's see it."

"See what?"

"Berry."

"Noah, we've been over this, it's nothing."

"Just let me see your arm and I'll leave it alone."

"I thought we already established that I don't have anything on under my shirt."

"Don't care."

"Noah!" She sputtered scandalized.

He smiled at her, "I just want to make sure that you're alright."

"I'm fine."

He took a step closer to her, "Let me see." He breathed softly.

"Fine." She raised her hands to the top button of her shirt.

"No." She looked up quickly, confused. "Let me." Her hands dropped. Slowly Puck unbuttoned the top button. Her breath stuttered out when he reached for the second button, the one between her breasts. His eyes stayed on hers as he grasped the third and her bra was exposed to him. Her breath sped up as he undid the fourth and she moaned softly when his fingers slipped, ghosting along her stomach with the fifth.

Once all of the buttons were open he slowly pushed the shirt from her shoulders, her breath caught as he started at her. Then his eyes darkened when he saw the bruises already forming on her upper arm. "Noah?"

He raised her arm, placing soft kisses over the bruises, "I'll kill him."

"I…" Rachel sucked in a breath, looked at his concerned face, "I think I already broke his nose."

His thumb rubbed back and forth along the inside of her elbow, causing her break out in Goosebumps. "No shit?"

"None."

He grinned down at her, "How's your hand."

She looked down at it; her first two knuckles were swollen. "A bit sore, actually."

His hand moved from her elbow to her wrist, pulled her hand to his lisps as he placed a soft kiss on each one of her knuckles. "So, I'm gonna do something. Don't kick me in the balls, okay?"

"Huh?"

He grinned at her, slid his hands into her hair, and pressed his lips gently to hers. "Feel better?"

"Mmmhmm."

He grinned picking up her shirt, "Here, you need to put this back on." She looked up at him in confusion. "Rach, you're here, in my bedroom, half naked, and my mother isn't home. I'm about three seconds from tossing you down onto my bed."

She swallowed, but didn't put the shirt on. "What if I want you to?"

"I don't know that I'll be able to stop."

"I trust you."

The words had hardly left her mouth when his mouth was on hers again. She sighed as he backed her towards the bed, giggled as they fell onto it. "This really isn't the time to be laughing."

She kissed her way along his jaw, "Sorry." Her hands made their way to the hem of his shirt and pulled. She sighed in approval as his shirt hit the floor. His hands were running up and down her sides, he paused for a moment, before moving to cup her breasts, "Oh, god." She moaned.

He grinned against her neck, then bit, causing her to moan again. He found a particularly sensitive spot at the crook of her neck that caused her to dig her nails into his back. The little pricks of pain fueled him on.

He was more than a little surprised when Rachel rolled them so that she was straddling his hips. She kissed her way from his mouth to his neck, then lower. "You have a nipple ring?" She asked breathlessly.

He grinned at her, "It's badass." He said sitting up.

The change in position caused his denim-covered erection to hit her center. Rachel cried out; her hips snapped forward, "Again."

Puck grabbed her hips directing her movements so that she was grinding against his erection. He moved his hands to her breasts again, rolling her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers.

He heard the change in her breathing about a second before she climaxed, shuttering in his arms. The look on her face, the way her thighs tightened around his hips, the pricks of pain at the back of his neck where her nails dug in, and the way his name spilled from her lips caused him to come as well.

"Shit, Rachel." He muttered when he had the breath to talk.

"Wow." She looked dazed. He was more than a little proud of himself for putting the look on her face.

"Was that your first?"

"No, of course not. First time with someone else though."

His eyes glazed slightly at the though of her touching herself, _holy shit!_ "Listen, Rach, you have to move. I need to change."

Her brow wrinkled, "What?" As she didn't appear to be moving he simply gripped her hips and lifted her next to him on the bed. He looked down at himself; she followed his gaze and seemed to catch on. Her eyes widened and she grinned, "Oh."

"It's not funny. I haven't come in my pants since I was thirteen." He replied disgruntled.

She grinned again, kissed him softly, "I wasn't laughing, I just like knowing that I _could_ have that effect on you."

He walked back into his room ten minutes later with a pair of sweats on, and yeah he took time to rub another one out. "Hey."

She looked up at him shyly, "Hi." She'd put her shirt back on, but he wasn't going to complain, watching Rachel Berry come was one of the hottest things he'd ever seen. Besides, she left the top two buttons of her shirt undone. "Noah, what _is_ this?"

He sat down next to her on the bed. "I don't know." He saw a brief flicker of disappointment cross her face. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear before continuing. "Rachel, you're, like my best friend, and fuck if I could tell you when that happened."

She jumped off the bed, "Noah, I should really be going."

"Shit, don't freak, okay. Just listen." He jumped up after her, sat her back down. "It's just, after everything with Quinn and the baby, everyone just kinda gave up on me. I was just this asshole that knocked up _Quinn Fabrey_. I didn't have anyone. Then all of a sudden you were there and you didn't treat me like an asshole. And then we started hanging out, even if your dads do hate me. And you just sorta became the person I _wanted _to spend all my time with. I really don't want to fuck this up, I really good at that."

She blinked at him, "I don't think I've ever heard you talk so much at once."

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it. Mouth diarrhea is your thing not mine."

"That's not very nice." Rachel sighed, "Although, it's not inaccurate. However, I don't want to mess this up either, Noah, I just…" she paused, "I've never… I don't know how to do this, especially since I don't know what this is. Am I your girlfriend? Am I just some girl that you can get off with? Am I…"

He stopped her with the most efficient way he could think of, he kissed her. "First, you're not just some girl, not to me. Second, I think I'd like you to be my girlfriend, but I think we should wait…" her eyes narrowed, "cool down a sec, I'm not done. I think we should wait until your not grounded anymore, so that way we can, you know, go out and shit."

"You know, I think, under all the vulgarity, there is a true romantic in there, Noah."

"Shut up."

"There is. I have one rule that I want to add." He raised an eyebrow, "Until then I don't want you to see anyone else."

"Not a problem."

"Really?"

"Did you not here the shit I said about wanting to spend my time with you?" She grinned at him, "Now let me go get you some ice for your hand, Rocky."

Walking into glee the next day Rachel was stopped by Quinn, "Karofsky's got a broken nose."

"Yes, I heard that."

"People are saying _you_ broke it."

"I heard that as well."

"Did you?

"Yes."

"Really?"

She looked at Quinn curiously, "Why would I lie about something like that?"

"Fair enough. Why?"

"He deserved it." Quinn raised her eyebrows, "He was saying some particularly vile things. They were mostly about me, but there were some about you as well. I didn't plan to do it, it just sort of happened."

"I heard there was a crotch shot as well." Quinn giggled.

Rachel's eyes lit up, "There was."

Much to Rachel's surprise Quinn hugged her, "Thanks."

Everyone looked on curiously when Quinn and Rachel walked in together. Though, the whispering only started when Quinn sat next to Rachel. Puck frowned at them, not that he didn't want Rachel to have friends besides him, but the idea of his sort of girlfriend and the girl who was pregnant with his kid together just didn't sit right with him. _It's all sorts of wrong, unless of course they're_ together. He grinned at the thought.

"Alright guys, up here. I've got a new number I want to try out." Mr. Shuester started as he handed out the sheet music. "Want to give it a shot, Rachel?"

Rachel looked down, 'Bleeding Love,' she grinned, jumped up, "Sure, Mr. Shue."

"Oh, hell to the no."

Rachel stared at Mercedes, "I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me. Mr. Shue why does she _always_ get the solos? What about the rest of us?"

"She's right, last time I checked there were twelve people here." Kurt added.

Rachel could feel the anger building again, _how _dare_ they! _

"Well, I suppose we could have tryouts." Mr. Shuester supplied. Kurt and Mercedes looked please with themselves.

_Not again._ Rachel took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm her, however each breath brought a new wave of anger. "No."

Everyone, including Mr. Shuester looked at her in surprise. "What?"

"I am _not_ giving up another solo _after_ you've given it to me."

"Rachel it's only fair."

She snapped, "_Fair?_" She cried shrilly. "Why is it only fair if you're taking solos away from me. When you wanted to give me 'Defying Gravity' and Kurt whined about it…"

"I did not whine about anything." He interrupted.

Rachel shot him a death glare that had him shrinking back into his chair, "_I'm_ talking now. After Kurt _whined_ about me getting the solo you took it away from me to make me try out for it."

"It was a special song for Kurt." Mr. Shuester supplied.

"When you gave Tina Maria's solo in 'Tonight' you told me I had better learn to be a better team player. Then you made me believe that I could have the part, only to give it to Tina. And you" she said looking at Mercedes, "what other solos are you talking about? Because the last solo _I _remember doing was during Sectionals. And that was only, as Kurt so wonderfully said 'as much as he hated to admit it' I was the best one to pull a solo out of thin air." Her face was turning red, as the words flew from her mouth. "And you know what, you don't work as hard as I do and you don't want it is much as I do. And frankly you're mean, self absorbed, and cruel."

"Calm the hell down, Rup…" Santana started.

"I said _I'm_ talking now, was there something you did not understand in that?" The fierce look she sent Santana and the tone in her voice had Santana closing her mouth.

"Fucking awesome." Puck muttered under his breath.

"So help me if you call me 'RuPal,' 'manhands,' 'treasure trail,' or whatever other god awful names you've come up with over the years, again." She was pointing between Brittnay and Santana. "What have I _ever_ done to either of you? Have I ever called you awful names, tripped you, drew pornographic pictures of you on the bathroom walls, told you your parents should sent you back, told you to get sterilized? No, oh, wait, those are all things you've done to me. Even with all of those things, who was the first to believe you when you said you weren't a spy for Coach Sylvester? Right, that was me."

She rounded on Matt and Mike, "And you two. You don't even look at me outside glee. It is too much to ask for basic human decency? You could say, 'Hey' once in a while. But, god forbid, you wouldn't want anyone to see you talking to Rachel Berry."

Tina and Artie were next, both cowering from the look she sent their way. "You guys are just as bad as Kurt and Mercedes," Artie opened his mouth to protest, but another angry look from Rachel had him shutting it. "You pretend to be nice to me when it's in your best interests, when you want something." Tina squirmed in her seat, Artie looked down, "What? Is something about my personality a bit too 'terrifying' for you?"

"And you." Rachel said, voice full of contempt, as she rounded on Finn. "You're the worst. You made me believe that you liked me. You've used me over and over again. You kissed me, twice, made me believe that you were going to leave Quinn so that we could be together. You used my feelings for you to get what you want without caring about what the repercussions were for me. The only person you care about is yourself, well that, and your precious reputation. I told you about the baby for selfish reasons, yes, but you needed to know. If you're going to be angry with anyone it should be Quinn and Noah, who you just seem to pretend don't exist. Or you could be mad at everyone else in this room, who knew for weeks that the baby wasn't yours, but let you go on believing it anyway."

She rounded on Mr. Shuester again, "And if you want to talk about how _annoying_ your students are with the other teachers you should make sure that said students are not in the school, or at the very least you could close the door."

Breathing heavily Rachel turned on her heel and stormed from the room. "Crap." She muttered as she marched to her locker. _How am I supposed to get home? The late busses don't start for another forty minutes, Noah's in glee…_

"Ow." She cried, surprised when she was pushed back into the lockers, the lock of one digging painfully into her hip.

"You broke my fucking nose, you crazy bitch." She looked up into the furious eyes of David Karofsky. "What do you think we're going to do about that?" He muttered as he caged her in against the lockers.

She was terrified, but she looked him straight in the eye, spoke calmly, "You're going to let me go and you're not going to touch me again."

He snickered, ran a finger under her chin, "Is that what we're going to do?"

She batted his hand away, "Don't touch me." She hissed.

He grabbed both her arms, pulled her away from the lockers, slammed her back into them. Her hip cried in protest as the lock hit bone and a cry of pain escaped her lips. He raised his fist and she was sure that he was going to hit her when she heard footsteps.

"The _fuck_ you think you're doing Karofsky?" Santana yelled from the other end of the hall, Brittany steps behind her.

"Teaching the freak here a lesson. You'd appreciate that Lopez."

She could feel the hot tears in her eyes, but she wasn't going to let them see her cry, _she wasn't._ "Back off."

Rachel's head whipped towards Santana, she looked furious. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, Karofsky, get the fuck away from her." When he didn't move she continued. "Unless you want me to tell the whole school that you're a limp dick asshole who couldn't get it up with both hands. Brittany'll back me up on that."

"Yeah." Brittany said.

"You glee freaks all fucking suck." He muttered as he stepped away from Rachel.

"You're going to want to be very careful with what you say to us Karofsky. And I see you near her again I will make sure that the entire school knows about how you didn't even get 'excited' when Brit and I went out with you."

As soon as he was out of eyesight Rachel's knees gave way and she slid, boneless, to the floor. "Brit go tell Puck that we found her and that I'll bring her out to his truck."

"Okay. Hope you're okay Rachel."

Rachel looked blankly at Brittany's retreating back, then over to Santana. "Why did you come after me?"

Santana raised an eyebrow, kneeled next to her, "You're welcome."

Rachel blinked, "Thank you. But why? You_ hate_ me."

"I don't _hate_ you." At Rachel's look of disbelief she continued, "I just don't like you all that much."

"Okay." Rachel said confused. "But you still came after me. You stopped Karofsky from… doing whatever it was that he would have otherwise."

"Quinn asked Brittany and I to look for you. She and Puck are doing the same. I have to say the way you shot Hummel and Mercedes down was pretty cool." Santana conceded. "And Karofsky is a giant douche bag. Guys shouldn't hit girls, especially ones half their size." Rachel was still looking blankly at her. "Come on, get up, let's get your shit and get out of here." Santana got up, held a hand out to Rachel.

Rachel accepted the help, hissed in pain as her hip protested the movement. Santana looked at her questioningly, "He shoved me back into the lockers a few times, the lower locks are apparently at my hip level." She rubbed a hand over her left hip.

Santana's eyes darkened as they walked the rest of the way to Rachel's locker. "If you tell _anyone_ I'll deny it." She said as Rachel opened her locker, pulled her bag out. "Before my mom got the balls to kick my dad out," She started as Rachel closed her locker, stared at her, "he used to beat the hell out of us."

Rachel blinked in surprise, "I'm sorry."

They walked towards the exit, "It was a long time ago. But when I saw Karofsky…"

"It reminded you of your father."

"Exactly." Santana waved at Puck as they walked across the parking lot.

"Whatever the reason, thank you." Rachel said stopping.

Before Santana could reply Puck was jogging around his truck. He grabbed Rachel's face, softly, in each of his hands, "Brittany told me what happened; you okay?"

"I'm fine." Her hands came up to grip his wrists.

He brushed his lips softly against hers. "Check her left hip." Santana told him. Rachel looked at Santana with wide eyes, Santana just shrugged.

Puck took a step back from Rachel, "You guys need a ride?"

"Nah, I have my car, I'll take Brit home."

"Cool. Thanks." Puck replied grabbing Rachel's bag and tossing it into his truck.

"Here, I'll help you climb up." Brittany said looking at Rachel.

"Um, okay."

"Puck?" Brittany asked as Rachel was buckling her seatbelt.

"Yeah?"

"Is this a Volvo?"

"What, no."

"Oh," Brittany said, looking vaguely disappointed, "it smells like one."

"Okay." Puck said confused, "See you guys later."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thanks again to everyone who reviewed. Also, I'm glad that everyone seemed to enjoy Rachel's little blow up, it was really fun to write. And I'm sorry for the late update, I wanted to have it up yesterday, but I found out the hard way what happens when food poisoning is mixed with alcohol. In case anyone is wondering, it's not pretty. Anyway, since I'm feeling better now I wanted to get this chapter up.

**Chapter 6**

_An ugly sight, a man who is afraid. –Jean Anouilh_

_How rare and wonderful is that flash of a moment when we realize we have discovered a friend. –William E. Rothschild_

"Noah?" Rachel whispered after a few moments. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise."

"Noah."

"You'll like it, I promise." Rachel snickered in response. He glanced over at her, grabbed her hand, pulled it to his mouth to give her a soft kiss. "I really love that you can make jokes right now."

Her heart just about melted, "I didn't say anything."

"No, but you were thinking it."

She smiled at him; "You just make it so easy."

He grinned, "I have two things to say to that: one is because I never expect you to make any kind of sexual comment, even though you keep doing it to me." Rachel snickered again. "See. Second that's what she said."

She smiled and hummed along with the radio. He glanced at her again as he was pulling into a parking space. Her eyes were closed and she still had a soft smile on her face. _Holy shit, she's fucking gorgeous. _Unable to contain himself he unbuckled his seatbelt, slid over to her side of the truck. Her eyes fluttered open as his hand cupped her face, "Noah?"

"Shh." He brushed his lips softly over hers, barely touching. The third time he did it she let out a frustrated sound from the back of her throat, her tongue flicking out to trace his upper lip. He growled against her mouth, took her bottom lip between his teeth. Her gasp had him shifting to get better access to her mouth, causing him to smack his knee, painfully, against the dashboard. "Ow, fuck."

Rachel stared at him, giggling. "It's not funny, that fucking hurt."

"I imagine. However, given that we are in a public place, perhaps it's for the best." She glanced around, realized where they were. "Ralph's?"

He rubbed his knee again, "Yeah. The first thing that came to mind to cheer you up was ice cream, but I know that you don't like having too much dairy, especially this close to competition. And since Regionals are in like a month, I figured Italian Ices were the next best thing." He said slipping out of the truck.

She smiled again watching him jog around the front of the truck. To her surprise he opened the door, gripped her hips lightly, and helped her down. He closed the door quickly, glanced around, and backed her against the side of the truck. "Thanks." She said breathlessly.

"You know, we're blocked from view over here, no one can see us now." The wicked look in his eye had her breath backing up in her lungs.

"Is that a fact?"

"Dunno." He muttered taking her lips again. She responded immediately, throwing her arms around his neck.

She moaned breathily when he moved from her mouth to her jaw. His hand was running up and down the thigh she had hitched around his waist. _When had that happened?_ She moved her hand down to push his out from under her skirt, "Noah, stop." She muttered. "It's too much." He kissed her again, "Too fast." This time she kissed him.

He rested his forehead against hers, relieved that he wasn't the only one panting. "One more?" He asked hopefully.

Giggling she stood on her toes, using his shoulders for leverage, and placed a chaste kiss to his lips. "I thought you were here to buy me an Italian Ice?"

He shook his head slightly, attempting to clear it, "Ices. Right. Maybe you could walk in front of me for a while."

She looked at him curiously, "What?"

Instead of answering he wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulled her close. "Oh." She gasped, feeling him pressing into her lower back.

"Where are we going now?" Rachel asked, climbing into the truck, black raspberry ice in hand.

"Back to your house." He replied licking his lemon lime ice.

"We can't, what if my neighbors tell my dads that your truck is in front of our house."

"I'll park a block or so away from your house. My mom's home today, so we can't go there."

He waited until they were in her room before bringing up her hip. "Rach."

"Hmm?" She replied dropping her bookbag next to her desk.

"Let me see your hip."

The look in his eyes had her shivering, with what she wasn't sure. "Noah, I..." she started, clearing her throat she tried again. "I can't stand here, half naked with you."

He raised an eyebrow, "Who says you have to be _half_ naked?"

"Noah!"

He snickered, "Seriously? Also, I've seen you half naked before."

"Not that half."

"So it's okay for me to see your boobs, but not your pu…"

"Don't be so crass. And you didn't see my breasts, I had my bra on."

"I just want to know where we stand. And this time you'll have your panties on, I'm not actually going to see anything good."

"Ugh." She rolled her eyes, "You're disgusting, you know that."

He kissed her quickly, "I just want to know how hard I have to punch Karofsky."

"Noah." She admonished.

"Rachel. This is the second time in as many days that he's put bruises on you. I would have left it alone after yesterday, considering you broke his nose and all, but not this time. And I'm not leaving until you show me."

"Fine." She consented, raising her eyebrows when he didn't move. "I thought you were going to do it, since you made such an ordeal about taking my shirt off yesterday."

He grinned down at her. "Since you asked." He slipped his arms around her waist, finding the zipper.

"I didn't ask, I was merely commenting on your behavior." He grinned, kissed her again, and had the rest of her words dying in her throat as he unzipped her skirt, pushed it to the ground. _Holy fuck, her legs really do go on forever._

He glanced down at her, took in the black, boyshort, panties with gold musical notes on the left hip. "You are full of fucking surprises." He muttered dropping to his knees in front of her.

"Um." Was all she could manage. The image of him on his knees in front of her was going to stay burned in her brain for a long time, possibly forever.

"Where?" He pushed her shirt up slightly, pressed a light kiss above her belly button, felt the muscles in her stomach tighten. She brushed her hand along his Mohawk before rubbing the sore spot on her hip. He used his hands to turn her slightly, pulled her panties down a bit so he could see the bruise. "Jesus Christ." He muttered seeing the angry purple welt on her hip. He placed a light kiss to the bruise before tugging her panties back into place.

"Has he done this to you before?" He asked standing again.

"What?"

He looked at her, her cheeks were pink, she was breathing shallowly out of her mouth, and her eyes were glassy. "Shit." He tangled his hands in her hair, hauled her against him, and plundered her mouth.

Her fingers were tracing his abs as he backed her against the wall. She let out a squeak as he pulled her pink sweater over her head, but surprised him by tugging at his shirt until he pulled it over his head. "God, Noah, please." She panted as he kissed his way from her mouth to her chest. The sight of her black lace covered breasts, caused him to harden painfully.

He'd just taken one lace covered nipple into his mouth, she let out a sound he didn't think he'd _ever _forget, when the phone rang. They jumped apart panting. Rachel scrambled to the phone, fought to even her breathing as she glanced down at the caller id readout. "Hi, daddy." Puck smirked, she was still totally breathless.

"No, nothing's wrong." She closed her eyes, took a deep breath. "I just walked in, I had to run to get the phone in time."

"Okay. What time?" She let out another breath, "Alright, I'll see you then, I love you too."

"Oh god." She muttered tossing the phone on her bed. "My dad almost caught us having sex."

"That wasn't sex."

"It was getting there."

He stared at her again, black bra and panties and pink knee socks. He was never going to be able to see a pair of knee socks without getting turned on again. "Fuck me." She sputtered as he tossed his shirt at her. "Put that on." She looked down at herself; she'd forgotten how little clothing she had on, and tugged the shirt over her head.

"Fucking hell, that's not any better." He muttered turning into her bathroom.

She narrowed her eyes and looked down. _Okay, I do look ridiculous, with the knee socks and his shirt almost falling to my knees._ She peeled the socks off before following him into the bathroom; he had the water in her tub running. "Noah?"

"Okay, so here was the second part of the plan, I was going to get you home and have you take a bath, then maybe hang out for a while, that parts a little sketchy." She blinked at him. "But now I'll get this going for you, then I have to go."

"Go?"

"Rach, baby," he found her hips with his hands again, "if I stay we're going to do something that you're not ready for."

She gnawed on her bottom lip, he groaned, "I want to be."

"I know. But when I'm inside you, you're going to be sure."

She looked up at him, "When you touch me I can't think about anything else."

"Fuck, are you trying to kill me?" She grinned at him. "Come on, let's get you into the bath." He muttered turning off the running water.

Not quite sure where the bravado she was feeling was coming from she slowly lifted his shirt up her body and over her head. He gaped at her, but was incapable of forming coherent thoughts. "I thought you wanted me in the bath? Don't you, Noah?"

"It's really to fucking bad that I'm a Jew."

"What?" She replied absolutely confused.

"'Cause I should be a saint for what I'm about to do." He pulled her to him, kissing her roughly. "Not, that. That was 'cause you're fucking hot. This." He muttered turning to walk out the door.

"Noah!" Rachel called following him, clad in a thigh length pink robe with large white polka dots.

He turned to look at her, raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

"Shut up. It's soft. And pretty." She replied. "Noah." She said again, suddenly serious.

"Yeah?"

"Please don't do anything to Karofsky."

"Rach, he left marks on you."

"I'm aware of that, but I don't want you to get into trouble."

"Are you questioning my badassness?"

She laughed softly, "Absolutely not, which is why I don't want you to go after him."

"How about this, I wont leave a mark on him."

"Noah."

"It's a compromise, Rach, 'cause I really want to beat the shit out of him right now."

"I'm not going to condone violence."

"Says the girl that already broke his nose."

"That was spur of the moment, I didn't go after him trying to break his nose."

"No marks, it's the best I can do." He said. "Now go get in your bath before it gets cold." He continued swatting her on the ass.

* * *

The next morning Rachel had to fight a grin the entire way to school. "Rachel, sweetie, you're in a really good mood this morning."

Rachel shrugged, "I'm just happy."

"I'm glad to hear that sweetie. Do you have glee practice today?"

"No, but I'm staying for geometry extra help."

"Alright, call dad when you get home. I have a surgery scheduled for 4:30, but it's complicated, so I may be home late."

"Okay. Bye, dad, I love you."

"Love you too sweetheart."

She'd barely stepped out of the car when she heard her name being called. Turning she saw Quinn waving to her, smiling she walked over to Quinn, "Rachel, I'm glad I found you."

"You are?" Though they seemed to have to come to a truce the day before Rachel was still a bit surprised.

"Brittany told me what happened. Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine."

"Karofsky is such an asshole. How did Puck take it?"

"He really is. Noah didn't take it well at all. I'm actually a little worried about what he might do."

"Well whatever it is I'm sure that he deserves it." Rachel made a noncommittal noise as she opened her locker, pulled out her books for history. "I'll see you later."

Rachel shut her locker, "Quinn?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"Sure." Quinn smiled, then flinched.

"What?"

"The baby's kicking. Sometimes it catches me by surprise." Rachel looked at her belly. "You wanna feel?"

"Um…" But without giving Rachel a chance to answer Quinn pulled her hand to her stomach. It took a moment, but Rachel felt the next kick. "Wow, that's amazing."

"Yeah, Brittany and I have been putting glasses and bowls on there so we can see it move." Quinn replied with a laugh. "So, I'll see you in Spanish?"

"Yeah, okay."

Rachel made her way to history, surprised and a little concerned that she hadn't seen Noah that morning.

She sat down in her usual seat in history, pulled out her homework from the night before and glanced out the window while she waited for the rest of the students and the teacher to filter in. "Hey."

She turned her head, shocked, to see Matt sitting next to her grinning. "The usual response is 'hey'"

"Oh, sorry, good morning. You caught me off guard."

"I do that, I'm sneaky, like a ninja."

She laughed softly, "What is it with boy's obsessions with ninjas?"

He stared at her in disbelief, "Seriously? Ninjas are awesome. They could kill you and you'd never even know."

"That's more than a little bit frightening."

"Rutherford, what the fuck are you doing, you been dropped on your head recently?" A boy in a letterman jacket called from the other side of the room.

"Nah, just sitting with Rachel today."

"Why?"

"'Cause I want to." Matt replied flipping the boy off moments before the teacher walked into the room.

"You know, you don't have to sit next to me. You made your point." Rachel whispered as the bell rang.

He shrugged in reply. "I want to."

"Okay." She replied smiling to herself.

Walking out of class when it was over Rachel spotted Karofsky walking towards her from the other end of the hall and stiffened noticeably. "You okay?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Rachel replied automatically, it was a little scary to find how easily she fell back into the response.

"He's a douche bag." Matt said seeing Karofsky as well.

"You can say that again." She responded, watching as Karofsky spotted her, inexplicably palled and turned in the other direction.

"He's a douche bag." Matt said again. Rachel only rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Who's a douche bag?" Mike asked walking over. "Hey, Rachel."

Rachel blinked looking between them, "Hey."

"Karofsky." Matt replied.

"Well, yeah, everyone knows that." Mike looked down at Rachel, "What?"

"You're both talking to me, in front of everyone."

"You made a good point yesterday." Mike replied. "Also, sorry for having been an ass to you."

"Yeah, me too." Matt added, "You're pretty cool. Well I've got to get to bio, see you guys later."

"You've got Spanish next, right?"

"Yeah, why do you know that?"

"I have Italian it the room next to Shue's. Come on we better be going or we'll be late." She could feel the stares as the walked down the hall. "See you Rachel." He said slipping into his class.

Quinn and Brittany were waiting outside Spanish for her. "Hi, Rachel!"

"Hi, Brittany."

"We were waiting for you."

"Thanks." Rachel replied unsurely as the three girls walked into the class.

"How're you feeling?"

"Better."

"That's good."

"Quinn, what is going on?" Rachel asked suspiciously as they all sat down.

"Why do people keep popping up to take me to class all of a sudden?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You and Brittany, for example. Why were you waiting outside class for me?"

"Honestly, Shue said he was going to break us up into groups for some sort of project. We wanted to know if you wanted to be partners."

"Really?"

"Bien todos, se establecen." Mr. Shuester said from the front of the room. Rachel, Quinn, and several other students turned to the front of the room, but as he was met with mostly blank stares he sighed and tried again in English. "Alright, settle down."

"Rachel, can I see you a moment." Mr. Shuester said as the bell rang.

"Yes, Mr. Shue?" She wanted to see if she could find Noah, as she hadn't seen all morning.

"Rachel, I want to apologize for what you overheard." _He's sorry that I heard it, but not that he said it._ "You were right when you said I wasn't being fair to you. I just don't want the other kids to slack off, if I give you every solo, they're not going to try."

"You've told me this before, Mr. Shue. And I get where you're coming from, I do. It doesn't change the fact that when it comes down to it you don't like me and you let it color your judgment as to who should be getting solos in glee. I don't mean to sound conceited, but I'm the best one in there, I practice for hours more than anyone else, and you don't utilize that. As much as you say you want to beat Vocal Adrenaline I can't help feeling like you're trying to punish me."

"Rachel, that's not true and you know that."

She shrugged, "It feels that way. I stopped getting anything out of glee months ago, and it stopped being fun sometime before that."

"Are you quitting on me again?"

"No. That wouldn't be fair to anyone, not this close to Regionals. But I'm not going to be joining again next year if things don't change."

"I can't give you every solo, Rachel."

"I don't want every solo, Mr. Shue. I just want to be recognized once in while."

"You know how good your are, everyone knows how good you are."

"A 'good job' once in a while would be nice." Rachel shook her head sadly, "I have to go, I'm going to be late to class."

She saw Karofsky twice more before making it to her math class, both times he had turned and practically sprinted in the other direction. "Noah." She said as he sat down next to her. "Where have you been all day?"

He smirked in response, "Why, you miss me?"

"I was worried, Karofsky's been acting strange all day, I thought you'd been expelled."

"Dial it down, I'm fine." He said turning to her. "Has he come anywhere near you?"

"No, in fact any time he sees me in the hall he looks like he's about to vomit and turns the other way. What did you do to him?"

"There're no marks. I promised." He grinned wickedly, remembering.

_He'd gone into school early, headed straight to the locker room. Karofsky had been there, as expected, the hockey coach usually had morning practices. _

_ "Karofsky." He called._

_ "What do you want, Puckerman?"_

_ "You're going to stay the fuck away from Rachel Berry."_

_ "Why, don't like sharing? She's hot and I bet she gives amazing head."_

_ Puck's fist made contact, nosily, with the locker, less than an inch from Karofsky's head. His other hand reached down, gripped Karofsky's dick as hard as he could and twisted. Karofsky gaped like a fish._

_ "You're going to stay the fuck away from her. You're not going to touch her, not going to look at her, not going to talk to her, not going to talk _about_ her. Understand?" _

_ Karofsky made a couple of choked noises. "I didn't hear you." Puck twisted harder, beads of sweat broke out across Karofsky's forehead._

_ "Okay." He managed._

_ "Good." Puck patted his face roughly. "And remember, the only reason I didn't cut off your dick with a rusty knife, then shove it down your throat is because she asked. If I find out that you've so much as glanced in her direction, that's what I'm going to do to you. Got it?"_

_ "Yeah."_

_ "Good, I'm glad we had this chat."_

"Noah what did you do?"

"It's nothing for you to worry about, but if he does _anything_ let me know, okay?"

She eyed him warily, but agreed. "You know," she whispered half way through the class, "since you've been helping me, I really think I'm understanding this more the first time."

"That's what I'm here for." He was leering at her, but she couldn't for the life of her figure out what was sexual about the comment.

The both grinned when the final bell rang, "So, what are we doing now?" He asked throwing an arm over her shoulder.

She pressed her face into his side for a moment, grinning, "Well, since we have a geometry test on Friday I thought we could go over that. Then there's the bio test tomorrow, do you think you're ready?"

"Rach," she looked up at him, ignoring the stares of the other people in the hallway, "I'm _always_ ready."

She snickered, pushed him slightly, "You're repulsive."

"Yeah," he grinned as they stopped by her locker, "but you love it."

"I don't know what it says about me that I kind of do."

"That's because you're just as depraved as I am." She gawked at him. "What?"

"You just called yourself depraved."

"Yeah, I picked it up from you and your ridiculous vocabulary." She looked proud. "Also, I jacked your word-a-day calendar last night."

"You," she tilted her head in confusion, "why would you steal my calendar?"

"I figured that I was going to keep up with what you're saying that I should know what some of the words mean, since half the time you're like a walking dictionary. Besides I figured you had all the words memorized anyway."

"I do. That's very sweet, Noah. An expanded vocabulary will help you in English as well. I don't imagine Ms. Olsen likes having your favorite four letter words integrated into our papers."

He laughed, "Like I would be stupid enough to put 'fuck' in an essay."

"But imagine if you did."

"I like the way your mind works." He leaned down, kissed her softly. She let out a surprised squeak. "What?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"We're at school."

He looked around, "No shit. You have something against me kissing you while we're in school?"

"No." he kissed her again for good measure, this time she sighed. "I just figured you didn't want to kiss _me_ while we're in school."

"I'm not embarrassed to be with you, Rach. If I'm going to kiss you at home, I'm gonna kiss you here."

"Ugh, your conversation is making me nauseous." They both turned to see Coach Sylvester hanging up flyers. "Get out of my presence before I vomit all over your shoes."

They looked at each other and scurried down the hall, stopping near the library to read one of the flyers. "Why would she be hanging up flyers for a carnival?" Rachel asked after skimming the paper over.

"Maybe her parents work there, would make sense. Those people are freaks."

"That's not very nice, Noah."

"Come on, have you seen them?"

She shook her head, "I've never been."

"You've never been to a carnival?"

"No."

"Didn't your dads take you when you were little?"

"No, they made sure that my entertainment had some sort of educational value, if it didn't have to do with dance or music."

"Huh." Was all he could manage, but he was already thinking of ways that he could get her there as they were scheduled to leave before her grounding was up.

"Noah," Rachel called impatiently from just inside the library doors, "you coming?"

He grinned lecherously, "At every available opportunity."

"Gross." She muttered pulling him in.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I'm so sorry for the delay in updating. Apparently real life has decided to go into overdrive lately and kick my ass. That unfortuitly means that I might be a little slower in getting each chapter up, but don't worry, the chapters are still coming. I want to thank everyone who reviewed and/or added favorited (not an actual word, but you all know what I mean). Anyway, let me know what you think.

**Chapter 7**

_The difficulty in life is the choice. –George Moore_

_Our best evidence of what people truly feel and believe comes less from their words than from their deeds. –Robert Cialdini_

Puck didn't show up to math. Rachel would have shrugged it off, as going to the class was new for him, except he'd made a point of showing up since he started helping her. He also hadn't shown up for English or biology. She knew he was in school, she'd seen him several times in the halls, but he didn't come over to her, didn't say anything, just walked by as if she wasn't there. Each time it happened Rachel felt a familiar tightening in her stomach, one that she hadn't felt in months, not since they had become friends. _What if he's tired of me? What if he doesn't want to be my friend anymore?_

She walked slowly to glee after getting out of math with a feeling of dread that she hadn't felt in what seemed like forever. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice Mercedes and Kurt standing in the middle of the room. "Rachel."

She looked over in surprise, "Yes?"

"Mercedes and I talked it over, after your little," Kurt paused, "episode yesterday." Rachel blinked, raised her eyebrows, and wished vaguely that she could lift just one, like Noah. "We still don't like you." Rachel's eyes narrowed dangerously, "However," Kurt continued quickly, "we agreed that we have been a bit too harsh on you."

"Thanks." Rachel muttered sarcastically, turning to sit down.

"Hold up, we're not done." Mercedes said. "Just because we don't like you doesn't mean that we don't respect how talented you are."

"Even if it pains you to admit it?"

"Rachel, you're the best one in here, everyone knows that." Mercedes said softly. "I mean Kurt and I, we're good, really good, but you're better. It's hard to sit here and watch while you get the solos that we want without really trying."

"Aside from the fact that the first solo that I got picked to sing in months was the last practice, I work outrageously hard. Do you know how many hours a week I spend, outside of glee, in vocal training, in dance class, in piano lessons?" Rachel scoffed.

Mercedes and Kurt exchanged a quick look, "No, we didn't realize." Kurt started.

"Well, maybe you should think about what you're saying before you open your mouths."

"We're trying to apologize."

"No, you're trying to make yourselves feel better." Rachel took a deep breath as Kurt huffed. "However, you're right. We don't have to like each other, but if we're going to win Regionals we do have to respect each other."

"Fine." Kurt muttered going to sit down.

Mercedes stared at her for a moment, "I like you better like this."

Mercedes turned to sit next to Kurt as Santana and Brittany walked in with Mike and Matt.

"Hey, Rachel."

"Hey, Rachel."

Rachel gave a half smile to both Mike and Matt, they'd made a point of saying "Hey," to her _every_ time the saw her.

"You going on another rampage, Joan Crawford?" Santana asked.

Rachel smirked, catching several people off guard, "Only if you use wire hangers."

Santana laughed, "You would know that movie."

"I thought that was Rachel." Brittnay whispered to Mike.

Rachel's stomach clenched when Puck and Quinn walked in. Quinn smiled at her before sitting next to Santana and Brittany. When Puck sat down next to her she let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

"Can we talk after practice?"

Rachel bit her lip nervously, "Do you want to talk about it now?"

Puck shook his head, "I'd rather wait 'till we're alone."

When glee was finished, finally, Rachel was fairly certain that she was going to vomit everywhere. She got up to gather her things, but Puck grabbed her wrist, tugging her onto his lap. She didn't think he realized he was rubbing the inside of her wrist. He smirked, but didn't mention the shutter that she unsuccessfully attempted to fight. "You're adopted."

She stared at him a moment, "Sort of." At his raised eyebrow she continued, "My fathers wanted a child so they chose a surrogate and mixed their sperm together." She ignored Puck's muttered "gross," and continued. "They still say that they don't know which one is my real dad, but I mean, it's obvious Daddy's my biological father. I let them think I still don't know."

"So if your dad's your bio dad how are you sort of adopted?"

"My mother gave up all of her parental rights after I was born. Dad adopted me so that if anything happened to Daddy there wouldn't be a question of what would happen to me."

"You're dads told you that?"

"What? No, of course not." Puck raised an eyebrow. "They have files of _everything_ to do with my life in the basement. I went through them a couple of years ago and found the paperwork."

"Do you ever wonder what she was like?"

"My mother?"

"Yeah."

Rachel shrugged and squirmed slightly. "Sometimes. I wonder what her favorite food is, her favorite color, Broadway show," he snickered, "if she can sing, if I look like her. Mostly, though, mostly I miss the idea of her."

"What?

"You know someone I could go to, talk to about girl things. My dads are great and I love them, but there are some things I just can't talk to them about. Do you know how horrifying it was to have a puberty talk with my dads when I was thirteen, even if Daddy is a doctor?"

He looked at her, wanted to laugh, but he'd been there. "Probably about as horrible as it was to get a puberty talk from my mom, even though she's a nurse." He reached into his backpack, pulled out a manila folder, "Quinn stopped by my house yesterday to give me these."

Rachel took the folder, glanced through the papers, "Adoption papers."

"Yeah." He slipped her off his lap, paced angrily around the room. "Fuck, Rach, that's my kid and we're just going to give her away."

"Do you want to keep her?"

Puck kicked one of the chairs, "Sometimes. I don't want to be my dad. I don't want to be the douche bag who abandons his kid."

Rachel walked to him, ran a hand comfortingly down his arm, "What your father did was terrible, but this is completely different."

"How? I'm pretty much saying I don't want her and foisting her off on some other people to raise."

"Noah, why did your dad leave?"

"How the fuck should I know, I was nine, and he was a selfish bastard."

"Okay, why are you thinking of giving your daughter up for adoption?"

"Why the hell do you think?" Rachel raised her eyebrows. "Fine. 'Cause there's no way Quinn and I are going to be able to raise her. We're sixteen fucking years old. Her parents aren't going to help and my mom barely has enough for me and Eden. I want her to be able to have the things that she wants and I'm not going to be able to give them to her."

"There you go. You're not foisting her off on someone else to raise. You're giving her opportunities that you, yourself, may not be able to provide her. That's the complete opposite of why your father left."

"I don't want her to hate me." He said softly.

"Oh, Noah." Rachel hugged him, her heart breaking.

Pulling her closer he continued, "It's lose, lose. Either fucking way she's gonna hate me. If I give her up, give her to those assholes with the house and the picket fence and the dog she'll hate me. And if I keep her she'll hate me 'cause she wont get the things that she wants."

"Or she'll love you for giving her a life with the house and the picket fence and the dog. And if you keep her she'll love you for doing your best for her. Kids don't just want toys and material objects from their parents."

"Why does this have to be so fucking hard?"

"I'm sorry, Noah."

"It's like I know what the best thing for her is, but it feels like it's the worst thing for me."

"Sometimes doing what's right for the people we love is a tough decision. Sometimes it hurts."

"What the hell do you know about it?" He asked harshly.

Rachel had never actually been punched in the stomach, but she had a feeling that this is what it felt like. Face blank and voice carefully devoid of emotion Rachel stepped back, "Just because there aren't many people who love me doesn't mean that I don't love other people."

She picked up her bag, carefully sat the folder on one of the chairs and hurried out of the room without looking back. She didn't let herself cry until she was locked safely behind her bedroom door.

* * *

Parked outside Rachel's house Puck punched the steering wheel. "Fuck, get it together." He glanced at house. "Shit, Puckerman, man up. Stop being such a fucking pussy."

He walked quickly to the door and took a deep breath before ringing the bell. _Please be the little one, please be the little one_. Puck groaned inwardly when the shuffling behind the door did not turn out to be Alan Berry. _Crap._ "Um, hi Mr. Berry. I don't know if you remember me, I'm a friend of Rachel's. Can I, uh, talk to her?"

Richard didn't say anything for a moment, Puck was pretty sure he was thinking of the best way to dismember him, and, yes, Rachel's calendar was pretty sweet. "As I'm sure you know Noah, Rachel is grounded. I'm sure that what ever it is can wait until school tomorrow."

"No." Richard raised his eyebrows quizzically. It was a look that he had seen Rachel give a hundred times and it threw him slightly. "It's, it's just that I said something to her that I need to apologize for. I really don't want her to think I meant it. It'll only take a couple of minutes, then I'll leave, I swear."

"Rich, who's at the door?"

"It's Rachel's friend _Noah._" Puck actively had to fight the urge to squirm at the way Rachel's father said his name. "He wants to apologize to her."

"Is that what was wrong with her this afternoon?" _Crap, now I feel like more of a douche._ "Why don't you go on up, Rachel's in her room."

"Um."

"It's the second door on the right."

Puck managed, barely, to keep from responding that he already knew where her bedroom was. "Thanks."

"And keep the door open if you don't mind."

Puck looked at Richard, nodded his head before heading up the stairs. No reason to give the guy more of a reason to want to murder him. He knocked softly; listening to what he thought might be R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts." When he didn't get an answer he tried again, "Rach?" When there was still no response he pushed the door open. "Rachel?"

She jumped and turned to him, a hand at the base of her throat, "Holy mother of god. You scared me half to death. What are you doing here, Noah? And why did my dads let you in?"

"Sorry." He muttered staring at her. She was barefoot; her hair in a messy ponytail, wearing skintight jeans, and what he thought might be a boy's undershirt.

"Noah?"

The fact that her shirt was damn near see through and she wasn't wearing a bra had his blood rushing downward and all coherent thought leaking from his head. "You're toes are pink." He murmured, unable to take his eyes off her.

"What?"

"What?" He repeated.

Rachel raised her eyebrows, "Noah, my eyes are up here."

"I know."

"Noah!"

"Wait. What? Fuck, sorry. I didn't… that's not why. Shit, it's just your and you never, Jesus your hot."

She blinked as she tried to understand him, "I have no idea what you just said to me. What are you _doing_ here?"

"Damn it. I fuck _everything _up." He threw his hands up in frustration. "I'm sorry about before, I was an asshole."

"You came here to apologize?" Rachel asked disbelievingly just as her iPod switched songs.

Puck opened his mouth to respond, but was distracted by the opening drums of the new song. "You seriously have Nine Inch Nails on here?"

"Do you really want to critique my musical selection right now?"

"We've really got to turn this off." He muttered hitting power just as the chorus started; _I want to fuck you like an animal. I want to feel you from the inside._ He turned to look at Rachel again. "I _am_ sorry. I didn't mean what I said."

"Why did you?"

He shrugged, "You were there." Her eyes narrowed. "And I knew you'd take it."

"I want you to leave."

"Rach, let me finish."

"You're the only one who's said that they think I might be able to take care of my kid, the only one who hasn't said that I should give her up without even listening to the reasons that I might want to keep her. You, you're my best friend. I needed to vent and I'm a d-bag for taking it out on you, but _Christ_ I've been pissed off since Quinn dropped the papers off at my house. And I kinda knew that even though you might get mad that you wouldn't really leave."

"Because I'm such a loser."

"No, because you're you. And you're not a loser; I don't hang out with losers. I only hang out with awesome people." He took her face in his hands, rested his forehead against hers. "Rachel, I'm sorry."

She looked into his eyes, sighed, "I thought you said mouth diarrhea was my trademark, not yours?"

He snickered, placed a quick, chaste kiss to her lips, "I wont make a habit of it as long as you don't tell anyone."

"Deal."

"Listen, I gotta go. I told your dads I would be quick and I've been up here a while." He said stepping away from her.

"How did get them to let you in anyway?"

He grinned, "No one can resist my charms."

She rolled her eyes, "Goodnight, Noah. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Night, Rach." He replied giving her another quick kiss.

* * *

Rachel walked into English class the next day expecting to be the first one there, as usual, but was mildly surprised to see Puck already there. "Hi."

"Hey. God, you have no idea how happy I am that today is Friday."

"It has been an exceptionally long week."

"Listen," he said placing a hand on her leg, just below the hem of her skirt, "I may not be in bio today."

"Why?" He unconsciously rubbed his thumb in small circles on her inner thigh and she was pretty sure that she needed to stop him or she was going to embarrass herself.

Instead she turned towards him, parting her legs slightly. "I have something that I have to take care of. I'm gonna try to get it done during lunch, but I don't know how long it's gonna take, so I might not make it back in time for bio."

"Wh… What do you have to do?" She asked, faltering as he hit a particularly sensitive spot.

He grinned wickedly moving his hand higher. His thumb brushed against the front of her panties, causing her to gasp, before he whipped his hand out from under her skirt. "Can I tell you about it later?"

She took a deep breath as other students started to filter in, "Okay."

"Thanks." He replied leaning over to kiss her temple.

Two hours later Puck fighting the urge to squirm, "It's important, can you please just tell him that Noah Puckerman would like to see him."

"I understand, but son, he's very busy. His schedule is booked today." An older woman replied turning to sit behind a heavy wooden desk.

"I get that, but it'll only take a coupe of minutes, I'll wait until he has a minute." He smiled, willing her to agree.

She sighed exasperatedly, "I'll see if he has a minute." She picked up the phone sitting next to the computer, "Sir, yes, there's a Noah Puckerman here to see you. Do you have a minute? Oh, of Rachel's? Okay, I'll send him in." She placed the phone down. "Go on in, his last appointment cancelled."

"Thanks."

"You should have said you were a friend of Rachel's I wouldn't have given you such a hard time. She's a good girl."

"Yeah, she is." Puck muttered walking through the double doors at the other end of the room. "Um, Mr. Berry?"

"Hello, Noah, is everything alright? Is Rachel okay?"

"Yeah, Rachel's fine. It's I, er, I need some help with something."

Richard narrowed his eyes, "Something legal?"

Puck swallowed nervously, _don't give him more of a reason to hate you_, "Sort of. I'm not in trouble or anything."

"Glad to hear it." He gestured to a leather chair, "Sit down."

"It's, I don't know if you know about Quinn Fabray and the baby..."

"I've heard." At Puck's surprised look he continued, "Lima is a small town Noah."

"I guess. We, well Quinn, want to give the baby up for adoption."

"What do you want?"

"I want what's best for her." Puck responded without hesitation.

Richard smiled, "That's a good answer. However, do you think giving the baby up for adoption is what's best for her?"

"That's what everyone's been telling me."

"That's not what I asked you."

Puck rubbed a hand over the back of his head, "I think so. I've thought about it, Quinn doesn't want to have anything to do with her, so I'd have to do it alone if I kept her. I can barely take care of myself and my mom has it hard enough with just my sister and me."

"Okay."

"And I talked to Rachel about it."

"Rachel?" Richard looked surprised, "You know she's not…"

"Yeah." Puck interrupted. "She explained it, but she's the only person I know who's even sort of adopted. And she's my best friend; I wanted her opinion. She's the one who convinced me that giving the baby up for adoption isn't the same as abandoning her."

"Alright, so why have you come here?"

"I just, I thought maybe you could look over these adoption papers, make sure there, you know, all legit. I tried to read them, but they kind of made my head hurt. I don't want to sign anything until I know that she's gonna be okay." Richard stared at him for a minute, "Uh, I know you're busy…"

"No no. I'll take a look at them for you. When is Quinn due?"

"Oh, um, June twenty-fourth."

"I'll have them back to you before that."

"Thank you, Mr. Berry."

"You're welcome, Noah." Richard replied, holding out his hand.

Puck shook the offered hand, "I've got to get back to school, I'll be late to class if I don't leave soon." Noah stopped and turned to Richard before leaving, "Mr. Berry?"

"Yes?"

"There's a carnival this weekend."

"And?"

"Rachel wants to go. And I know that she's grounded so I can't take her, but maybe you and, uh, Mr. Berry could take her."

"You want us to take Rachel to a carnival?"

"Well, I'd like to take her, but I want Rachel to be happy. She keeps staring at the flyers in school. She said she'd never been. They only come every couple of years and by the time it comes back Rachel will probably be in New York."

Richard was quiet a moment, "Why don't you stop by the house around seven tonight."

"But, I thought that Rachel was grounded for another week?" Puck asked confused.

"Are you really going to argue with me about this? I can guarantee I'll win, I'm a lawyer."

Puck grinned, _maybe he's not so bad,_ "Could you not tell Rachel, that way it'll be a surprise?"

"I think I can do that. I'll see you tonight."

"Yeah, thanks, Mr. Berry."

When the doorbell rang at six fifty eight Rachel sprang up from her position on the couch, half worried that someone was going to egg the house. In her hurry she missed the look that passed between her fathers. "Noah?" She asked surprised when she opened the door.

"Hey." He replied holding out a handful of daisies. "I know you like lilies better, but I couldn't find any."

"You bought me flowers?" She asked, taking them from Puck and sniffing at them.

"Yep, aren't you going to invite me in?"

"I'm, I'm grounded; you know that."

"Rachel, pumpkin, Noah came to see me today, Daddy and I have agreed to end your grounding early."

"What?" Rachel replied with wide eyes.

"We're going to the carnival." Puck said with a grin.

"Yeah?" Rachel asked jumping to hug him.

"Yup, now go change into some pants, some of the rides go upside down, you don't want to deal with that."

Grinning she turned to her parents, "Thank you." She turned back to Puck, "Five minutes, I just want to put these in water first."

"We want you back by one, sweetie."

"Okay, _thank you_."

"Noah, how did you manage this?" She asked once they were in the truck.

"I'm fucking awesome, baby. No one can resist the Puckerman Charm."

Rachel rolled her eyes, shook her head, "However you did it I'm glad."

"Come on shortie, lets go pop your carnival cherry."

"Ugh, gross." She muttered slipping from the truck. "Must you always be so crass?"

"It's how I work." He replied throwing an arm over her shoulders and steering her towards he carnival entrance. "So, I figure we can go on some of the rides, then grab something to eat, then maybe play some games, so you don't have to haul around the prizes."

She glanced up at him, "What about you?"

"What about me?" He asked paying for several tickets.

"Aren't you going to haul around prizes?"

"Honestly, most of the things here are going to be stuffed animals, if I win anything I'm going to give it to you."

"What if I win something and want to give it to you?"

He glanced around, spotted a giant neon green gorilla, at the dunk tank, "If you win for me that I'll haul it around and keep it forever."

"Promise?"

"Sure, Rach." He replied laughing. "So what do you want to go on first?"

She glanced around, spotted a colorful ride with twelve cages, "That one."

"The Zipper? Fucking awesome." He gripped her elbows, pulled her to her toes, "You are seriously, _fucking awesome._" He kissed her soundly.

Dimly she heard a couple of young boys snickering, "Get a room!"

She blushed slightly as Puck muttered, "They're just jealous" against her mouth. He stepped back, "Come on, lets have some fun."


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I want to thank everyone who took the time to review/add as an alert again. You guys are really awesome! This chapter in particular has been eating at me, so I wanted to get it out as soon as possible. The next one might be a little bit as work's been crazy lately. Once it calms down some I should be able to update more frequently. Remember to review and let me know what you think!

**Chapter 8**

_The only thing that should surprise us is that there are still some things that can surprise us. –F__rancois de La Rochefoucauld_

_First love is only a little foolishness and a lot of curiosity. –George Bernard Shaw_

"Noah, please? Just one more?" Rachel pleaded.

He grinned down at her, "Rach, I'm starving." She pouted slightly, "I mean seriously, my stomach is eating itself."

"Just one more. Then we can eat whatever you want."

He raised an eyebrow, "Anything?"

"Noah!" She replied scandalized.

"I don't have anymore tickets."

"_Please._"

"Fine. Wait here, I'll go buy a few more." Shaking his head he walked to the ticket stand, bought two more tickets.

She grinned at him on the way back, "Thank you." She jumped to her toes, placed a quick kiss to his cheek. "Come on, I want to try the Tilt-A-Whirl."

She grabbed his hand tugging him to line for the ride. "When I seven," He started, "my mom brought me and Finn here. She had us eat before we went on the Tilt-A-Whirl. I puked my guts out."

"Are you trying to tell me that you're going to vomit now?"

"What? No. I don't puke from pansy rides."

"Good, because I really want to spin around as much as possible."

He raised his eyebrow, "You really are a little bit of a weirdo. You know that right?"

Rachel shrugged, "I didn't get to do stuff like this when I was seven."

"What did you do?" He asked pulling the bar down over their laps.

"Acting classes, vocal lessons, dance lessons, piano lessons, guitar lessons, competitions…"

"You play the guitar?"

"Yes, why?"

"Why have I never seen you play?"

"I don't play often." She replied as the ride started up. They had barely gone around once when she slid across the bench seat pressing against Puck.

"Hey."

She grinned up at him, all bright eyes and flushed face and giggled. He lent down to kiss her, but a couple of rapid turns had him fighting to keep his lunch down instead.

"That was wonderful, Noah. I'm pretty sure that one is my favorite." She glanced up at him through her eyelashes, "Do you want to go again?"

"Not unless you want me to pull a Linda Blair and upchuck everywhere."

Shaking her head she glanced at him, "You do look a bit queasy. Come on lets get some food into you, I'm sure you'll feel better." She replied pulling him towards a concession stand.

"Know what else would make me feel better?"

She stopped, turned to him with raised eyebrows, "What?" She asked suspiciously.

"This." He tugged her closer, hands on her hips, and brushed his lips over hers. "Although, I do like where your mind's at, so remember _any_ time you want to try out your lack of gag reflex let me know."

"You'll be the first." She replied, sending him into a coughing fit. "Now, lets get something to eat."

He wrapped his arms around her from behind, tugging her close, "Know what I would _really_ like to eat?" He whispered in her ear as they walked to the stand.

"Noah!"

"Three." He said to the kid working the stand, "And one Pepsi, one diet. Oh, and nachos."

"You really are deplorable."

"Yeah, but it works for me." He replied exchanging money for the flimsy box full of food. "Now lets find a somewhere to sit so we can eat this shit."

"You really make it sound so appetizing." She muttered worming her way through throngs of people. When they finally found a table to sit at Rachel looked skeptically at the food. "Do you know how bad these are for you?"

Noah glanced down at his hot dogs, loaded them with ketchup and mustard, "Yeah, but they're so fucking tasty." He replied, shoving half of one in his mouth.

"That's disgusting." She muttered taking a much smaller bite of hers. The little moan she let out had him snickering, "What?"

"You just made a sex noise while eating a hot dog."

"I did not." She replied looking horrified.

"You totally did. Now I'm going to have that image in my head." He paused a moment, "Though to be honest, it's not a hot dog I'm picturing. It's my…"

"Yes, I know what you're picturing, but I can't help its really good." He snickered again, "And, yes, I know, that didn't help matters, but I haven't had a hot dog in months."

"Really?"

"They're bad for you, I don't normally eat them."

"Well since we're walking on the wild side, have a nacho. Besides I want to know what other sex noises you make."

She met his eyes, "I guess you'll have to experiment to find out."

He choked on his hot dog, just as they were announcing the start of Karaoke hour, "Holy shit! Did you just invite me to do whatever the fuck I want with you?

She grinned, "Maybe."

He looked at her through narrowed eyes trying to figure out if she meant it, "You wanna get out of here?"

Here eyebrows furrowed, "But I want to play some of the games."

"Oh, we'll play some games."

"Noah." She sighed exasperatedly, "I want to play some of the carnival games. Besides, I distinctly remember you telling me that you were going to win me stuffed animals."

"You win Rach." He glanced down at his watch, "We've still got a couple of hours before you have to be home. This way I can think of all the filthy things I'm going to do to you." He grinned as a flush worked its way across her cheeks, "Stay here a minute will you. I'm gonna go get another hot dog."

"You already had two. And almost the entire tray of nachos."

"I'm a guy, I like to eat." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Go get your food." She replied laughing.

"Cool, see you in a sec."

Her attention was focused on a woman currently butchering Phil Collins' 'Against All Odds.' She visibly cringed as the woman got to the chorus, but was distracted by her name being called. Turning she saw Artie, Tina, Kurt, and Mercedes headed towards her.

"Are you here by yourself?" Kurt asked. He looked slightly pleased, but to his credit also looked like he was trying to hide it.

"No." She said as they sat down. "Noah is getting more food."

"You're here with Puck?" Tina asked shyly.

"Yes."

"That's cool." Tina shifted slightly in her seat.

Rachel sighed, Tina was trying to be nice and she was being short with her. "It is. He knew how much I wanted to come, since I've never been before. I was grounded, but he convinced my dads to let me come." She said with a small smile, missing the look Kurt and Mercedes shot each other.

"Dude." Artie said suddenly, "This lady is really freaking terrible."

Rachel smiled at him, "She really is."

"You should get up there and show her how it's done." He said smiling at her.

Rachel smiled back automatically; _everyone has their own way of apologizing. Mike and Matt say 'hey' _every_ time the see me, Kurt and Mercedes offered a pseudo truce, and Artie and Tina seem to be making an effort to be nice._ "Maybe."

"I don't think that's going to be necessary." Kurt said as the woman finished her song. At Rachel's narrowed eyes, "No offence." He continued gesturing towards the makeshift stage.

Rachel's eyes widened as she watched Noah walk to center stage a guitar in tow. He caught her eye and grinned suggestively before starting to strum the guitar.

_**Hang up that red dress**_

_**Let down your hair**_

_**Cancel those reservations**_

_**There's no need to go no where**_

_**As good as you're looking right now**_

_**Girl I bet your thinkin' I'm crazy**_

_**There's a side of you that I wanna see**_

_**That never ceases to amaze me.**_

_**Gimmie that girl with her hair in a mess**_

_**Sleepy little smile with her head on my chest**_

_**That's the you that I like best**_

_**Gimmie that girl**_

_**Gimmie that girl lovin' up on me**_

_**Old t-shirt and a pair of jeans**_

_**That's the you I wanna see **_

_**Gimmie that girl**_

_**Gimmie the girl that's beautiful**_

_**Without a trace of makeup on**_

_**Barefoot in the kitchen singing her favorite song**_

_**Dancing around like a fool**_

_**Starring in her own little show**_

_**Gimmie the girl that the rest of the world **_

_**Ain't lucky enough to know**_

_**Gimmie that girl with her hair in a mess**_

_**Sleepy little smile with her head on my chest**_

_**That's the you that I like best**_

_**Gimmie that girl**_

_**Gimmie that girl lovin' up on me**_

_**Old t-shirt and a pair of jeans**_

_**That's the you I wanna see**_

_**Gimmie that girl, gimmie that girl**_

_**Gimmie that girl with her hair in a mess**_

_**Sleepy little smile with her head on my chest**_

_**That's the you that I like best**_

_**Gimmie that girl**_

_**Gimmie that girl lovin' up on me**_

_**Old t-shirt and a pair of jeans**_

_**That's the you I wanna see**_

_**Gimmie that girl, gimmie that girl**_

Rachel knew that they were talking to her, she could vaguely hear what sounded like whispering, but she wasn't paying attention. She was staring at Noah as he strummed the final notes and before she knew what she was doing was walking towards him. "See you later." She muttered absently to the table. Grinning she stepped in front of him.

"Hey." He said softly.

She didn't respond, just cupped his face in her hands, lifted to her toes and placed a soft kiss to his lips, "That was amazing." She murmured over the cheers and catcalls from the audience.

Puck grinned at the audience and waved before tugging Rachel behind him off the stage. He glanced around once off stage, "Hey, Joe." He called spotting a boy Rachel thought might be five or six years older than they were. "Thanks for the guitar."

"No problem, but if I knew that's all it took to have pretty girls kiss me on stage I wouldn't have let you have it."

Puck narrowed his eyes, pulled Rachel closer to him, "Mine."

"Noah!"

At the same time Joe grinned, "I get it, hands off. See ya later, dude."

Puck inclined his head as Rachel poked him in the side. "Ouch, the hell?"

"Noah, I'm not some sort of object that you can lay claim to."

"Fuck that Rachel." He turned her, gripped her hips, and pulled her flush against him. "Mine." He said again, taking her lips in an almost brutal kiss.

She simply forgot where she was, hell, forgot _who_ she was as she gave herself over to the kiss.

He stepped back, nodded his head several times, "Mine."

She looked at him with glassy eyes, "What?"

Grinning he threw an arm over he shoulder, "Come on, lets win you some crap." He looked around, saw the game he was looking for and steered her in that direction. "How much?"

"One dollar gets ya three balls, knock all the bottles down with one ball ya can pick from the top row. Two balls from the middle row. Three from the bottom. If any of the milk bottles are still on the platform your s.o.l.."

"S.o.l.?" Rachel asked as Puck pulled a dollar from his wallet.

"Shit outta luck." He grinned as Rachel huffed. "How 'bout a good luck kiss?"

Rachel shrugged, "Couldn't hurt, besides I want that purple hippo." She tugged his collar to pull his face down to hers. Instead of the quick kiss he was expecting she _kissed_ him. He groaned into her mouth as she tugged on his bottom lip, soothing it with her tongue, and was dimly aware of being asked if he was sure he wanted to play.

He broke away from her, slightly out of breath and raised his eyebrow, "You must really want that hippo."

Giggling Rachel stepped back to allow Puck to take aim. She squealed with excitement when his first shot had all the milk bottles flying from the pedestal. "Really?" He asked handing her the stuffed animal.

"What I like presents." She held up the hippo in two hands, staring at its face.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm naming him."

"Naming it? Why the fuck are you staring at it like you're going to make out with it any second?"

"I do not look like I'm going to make out with it. And how else are you supposed to name something?"

"How 'bout by not making out with inanimate objects."

She punched his arm, "I'm not going to make out with it." She paused a moment, "Also, I'm impressed with your increasing vocabulary, even if it is peppered with vulgarities."

"Yeah, yeah, I know all sorts of words now. You come up with a name for your make out buddy."

"Jerk." She replied sticking her tongue out at him. "And, yes, I did."

"You like me."

"I do, and you like me."

"I do. Crazy and all. So, what'd you name it?"

"Him. Gordon."

"Gordon?"

"Yes, Gordo for short."

"You gave it a nickname? That's weird."

"No it's not."

"How do you not see how weird that is?"

"…Now that's hard!" They both turned to see Coach Sylvester taking a seat on the dunk tank bench.

"Now why do you suppose she would willingly subject herself to that?" Rachel asked.

"No idea, community service? That sign says the proceeds go to some rest home."

"Huh."

"You're pathetic. My grandmother throws better than you and she's been dead for thirty years."

Rachel grinned, "Come on, I want to try."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. I want to dunk her." She replied with an evil glint to her eye. "How does this work?" She asked the attendant.

"Dollar a ball, five bullseyes in a row gets you the big prizes on the top, four second from the top and so on."

"How many?" Noah asked. Rachel held out her hand wiggling all five fingers. "Alright." He handed a five to the attendant.

"Stay behind the line." The attendant muttered as Noah took the balls.

"'K, Rach," He started placing four balls on the ground next to Rachel. "You want some pointers?"

She rolled her eyes, "No, I'm fairly sure I can manage." The overwhelming sarcasm in her voice had him looking curiously at her as he handed her the first ball. He snickered when her face went dark at Coach Sylvester's taunting.

"Holy shit!" He muttered when the ball hit the bullseye with a solid _thwack_.

"Yes!" Rachel did a hip-shaking dance as Coach Sylvester shot her a death glare and climbed out of the dunk tank pool.

"Holy shit." He said again. "Where the fuck did you learn to throw like that Mike Leake?"

"Dad played third base for the buckeyes when he was in school."

He tossed her another ball, "How many time do you think you can hit that bullseye?"

She raised her eyebrows, grinned, "How many balls?"

She jumped and squealed each time the ball hit the bullseye, he didn't think he'd ever seen Coach Sylvester so pissed. "That," he muttered wrapping his arms around her waist, "was the most awesome thing I've _ever _fucking seen."

"Which one you want?" The attendant asked.

She turned in Puck's arms, "The green one."

"Where the hell have you been hiding that little talent of yours?"

She shrugged taking her prize, "I'm full of hidden surprises."

"I'll say."

"What are you going to name him?"

He looked at the stuffed gorilla in her arms, _who the hell thought she'd be able to win it_, "Dunno, why don't you name him?"

"Fine, even if you are taking the lazy way out." She stared at the gorilla, "Stewart."

He laughed, took the gorilla from her, wove their fingers together, "You are so weird."

* * *

At twelve forty five Puck pulled into Rachel's driveway. "Noah," she whined, "we have another fifteen minutes."

"Yeah, but I have to be home at one too." He continued seeing her skeptic look, "My mom's been anal over it ever since she found out about Quinn and the baby."

"Alright, but walk me to the door, at least."

"G'night, baby." He muttered cupping her face and kissing her softly.

"Goodnight, Noah." She murmured breathily.

"See you later."

Smiling she walked inside, surprised to see her fathers in the den. "Dad? Daddy? Were you waiting up for me?"

"We just wanted to see how everything went, sweetie, it _was_ your first date."

She smiled dreamily, "It was wonderful, he sang to me."

"We're glad you had a good time, pumpkin. We're going to head to bed. Don't stay up too late, you have dance tomorrow morning."

"I know. Goodnight."

She practically floated up the stairs after her fathers, detouring into her room. She set Gordon down in the middle of her bed, grabbed a pair of pajamas and made her way into her bathroom. She flipped on the water singing softly to herself.

Forty minutes later she stepped out of the bathroom and shrieked in surprise. "How did you get in here?"

Puck grinned from his position on her bed, "I climbed in the window."

"How? It's on the second floor."

"I used your neighbor's tree to get onto the roof of your garage, then there's only like an eight foot difference to that little overhang outside your window, I pulled myself up and climbed in."

"That doesn't make me feel particularly safe."

"No worries, I'll protect you." He replied patting the bed next to him.

"You're really lucky my dads are heavy sleepers. How long have you been here?"

"Like ten minutes. I wanted to make sure my mom knew I was home for a while before I came here."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, "I'm glad you did."

"Hell yeah." He lowered his mouth to hers and lost himself in her immediately.

She moaned in the back of her throat as he lowered her to the bed, settled himself between her legs. He wondered if she knew she was rolling her hips like that. He pulled himself from her mouth, nipped his way along her jaw, soothing the spots with his tongue.

"God, please." Rachel muttered breathily as he found a particularly sensitive spot. He cupped her breast through her pajama top, "More."

He kissed the hollow of her throat before moving his hands to the top button of her shirt. "Tell me if you want me to stop."

"Don't, not yet." She panted.

He flicked open the buttons, pushed the shirt apart just enough to see the swell of her breasts, kissed the newly exposed skin. She pressed her hand to the back of his head, pressing him to her as he licked his way from her navel to her throat.

She gasped into his mouth when he palmed her breast, flicking the nipple with his thumb. He pulled back when he felt her tugging on the bottom of his shirt so they could pull it off. Puck pushed her shirt the rest of the way off her shoulders. "So fucking hot."

He dropped his head to her breast as she blushed, captured the peak between his lips. She arched into him, "God." He chuckled softly against her skin, switching to give attention to her other breast.

She stiffened slightly under him when he hooked his fingers under her shorts and panties. Feeling the difference he pulled his fingers from her panties and slid her shorts down her legs. "Sorry." She muttered turning her head.

He gripped her chin, turned her face to him, "Don't be. I've fucking got you in bed only wearing panties." He panted. She pulled his face down to hers again.

"Fuck." He muttered as he kissed his way across her stomach.

"Hmm?"

"Jeans are fucking uncomfortable." Her hands immediately went to the button, flicking it open. He grabbed her hands, pinned them over her head. _Shit, look what that does to her tits._ He dropped his mouth to her breast again. "I went commando."

He glanced up at her when her hips jerked against him. The sight of her, pink from the chest up, hair fanned out, biting her lip almost had him coming right there. "'S okay." She gasped.

"You sure?"

"God, yes."

He wiggled back from her, unzipped his jeans and felt uncharacteristically shy as he dropped them. That faded quickly as her eyes widened at the sight of him. "It's okay, Rach." He said softly settling himself between her legs again.

The feel of him, hard, against her thigh had Rachel's stomach tightening. Her vision blurred slightly as he ground himself into her. She moaned again as his hands ghosted along her thighs. "Can I?"

"Okay." She breathed.

He slipped his hand slowly into her panties, flicked her clit. "Noah!"

"You're so wet, baby." He muttered against her neck. "Open your eyes." He watched her struggle to do as he asked. He slipped first one than two fingers inside her and watched as her eyes rolled back in her head.

He stroked her slowly watching every flicker of surprised pleasure cross her face. When he crooked his fingers she moaned loudly, "Shh." He muttered covering her mouth with his own.

"Please, Noah, I…I…" she panted, "I… need…"

"I know, Rach." He gasped as he felt her begin to flutter around his fingers. He used his thumb to rub her clit as he increased the pace of his fingers.

"Noah!" She cried as her back bowed off the bed then went pliant under him. He pulled his fingers out of her, wiped them on her sheets as she panted.

When she had her breath back she glanced down at him, "You didn't?"

"Nah, it's all good though." _Since when the fuck has that been cool?_ He looked her, still flushed from her orgasm. _Oh, right._

"I want to, but I've never…" She took a deep breath, looked him in the eye, "Show me."

"Here." He muttered laying back, grabbing her hand in one of his, and guiding it to his shaft. He groaned as their hands wrapped around him, as he guided her hand in a steady rhythm, showing her how tight to grasp, when to squeeze, when to twist.

It took only a few moments before he felt a familiar tightening in the pit of his stomach. "Rach, I'm gonna… gonna… gonna come." He managed.

She locked eyes with him again; her whispered, "please," was all it took to have him spilling out onto their joined hands. He fought for breath as she leaned over to pull two tissues from her nightstand. "Here."

"Thanks." He replied, cleaning up. When he was done he grabbed the tissue from her hand, pitched both into the garbage near her desk. He sat up, wrapped a hand around the back of her neck, and kissed her deeply. "You are seriously the most awesome chick alive."

She shook her head, "Thanks." She replied sarcastically, but she smiled at him. "Stay?"

He paused a moment, "I have baseball practice early tomorrow. Do you mind if I set your alarm for six? I'll have to get home and get my crap before I go."

She grinned again, "That's fine." He lay back down, covering them both with her blankets. She turned to her side, back to him, then surprised him by grabbing one of his hands in hers as she brought it to rest between her breasts. "Goodnight, Noah."

He'd never been one for snuggling after, but when it was a mostly naked Rachel Berry, whose ass was currently nestled against his crotch, even if she was still wearing panties. _And_ his hand was currently resting between her tits. _Fuck yeah_ he liked snuggling. "'Night, Rach."

A/N: The song Noah sings to Rachel is Gimmie That Girl by Joe Nichols.


	9. Chapter 9

Thank you to everyone who reviewed, you are all awesome. Sorry again for the delay, apparently my job goes crazy during the summer and takes over my life completely. Hopefully things calm down soon so I can update more regularly. And no worries, there are still a few more chapters left, I'm still working out how many exactly though. And finally, shameless begging… review and let me know what you think.

**Chapter 9**

_Families are about love overcoming emotional torture. -Matt Groening_

_All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own. –Johann bon Goethe_

_Ain't nothing gonna break my stide_

_Nobody gonna slow me down, oh no_

Noah groaned, rolled over, "The fuck?" He reached out, slapping his hand down aimlessly at the sound until it stopped. He looked around blearily for several moments, taking in the yellow walls, white four post bed, trying to remember where he was. _Rachel._ He thought as she moaned softly. He glanced down to see her stretching. "Hey."

"Hi." She said shyly.

He rolled to his side, resting his head on his hand, "What the hell song is that? It's really annoying."

She giggled, "'Ain't Nothing Gonna Break My Stride.' I always use it for my alarm. It always gets me up."

He grinned, rolled on top of her, had her breath shuttering out at the feel of him against her thigh. "Know what gets me up?"

"Breathing?" She asked breathily, rolling her hips unconsciously.

He snickered as he lowered to kiss her, "You."

She moaned against his mouth as he ground himself against her. "We've got to be quiet." She murmured between kisses. At his raised eyebrow she continued, "My dads'll be awake soon."

He circled her nipple with his tongue, nipping when she pressed her hand to the back of his head, "How 'bout we don't mention your dads when we're like this, deal?"

His hand snaked between them, pressed her clit through her panties, "Yes!" He grinned against her neck, bit gently, causing her to moan again. "Noah, please."

He ghosted his hands over her again, her hips jerked against him, "Please what?" She rolled her hips against him. "Fuck, why are you so good at this?" Her laughter turned into a moan when he dipped two fingers into her panties and into her.

He was barely hanging onto his shit. _Who could blame me?_ He looked at Rachel beneath him. Her lips were parted, panting harshly and every so often he could hear his name. He head was tilted back, neck exposed; he bent to nibble where it met her shoulder. "Noah!" Her back arched, pushing her breasts into him and her hands were fisted in the sheets around her.

"Gonna come for me, baby?" He asked bending to nip at her breast.

"So cl…" she moaned when his thumb stroked against her clit, "so close" she muttered again.

He groaned in surprise when her hand snaked between them and stroked along his length. _Holy shit, she's a fast learner._ He needed to stop her or this was gonna end, but unless he wanted to use the hand he was currently using to support himself or the one he current had inside Rachel, that shit was just not happening. Instead he increased the pressure and speed of his thumb, curled his fingers inside her.

She arched into him, one hand pulled his head to her mouth to muffle the sound of her moans, the other squeezed him hard enough that he lost the last vestiges of his control and he came, shuttering, on top of her.

He pulled his hand from her, causing her to whimper, _he was the shit._ Placing his hands on either side of her head he rested his forehead against hers, "Sorry."

She grinned, "For what?"

He glanced down to her stomach, "For ya know, coming, on you." He muttered reaching for several tissues.

"It's okay." She replied softly as he wiped the sticky mess from her stomach. Her breath caught when he placed a soft kiss right below her bellybutton.

He grinned up at her, eyebrow raised, "Again? Really"

The sharp knock at her door had them both jumping. "Sweetie, are you awake?"

"Yes, daddy." Rachel called, pushing Noah away from her. "I just finished my workout." Noah snorted, causing Rachel to shoot him a dirty look as she threw his pants at him.

"Sweetie, you have five dance classes today, did you really need your elliptical?"

She glanced at Noah who was laughing as they both pulled on clothes, "I don't feel awake without a morning workout daddy, it's routine. Besides it didn't last that long anyway." She met Noah's eyes, barely keeping herself from laughing at the offended look on his face.

"Dad and I will see you downstairs in a few minutes."

"I'm just going to shower first, daddy."

"Alright."

Noah waited until he heard footsteps on the stairs, "Didn't last long, huh?" He asked pulling her to him by the hips.

She shrugged in response. "I'll show you how long I can go." He growled against her lips. She melted into the kiss, eagerly opening her mouth to him. He could feel himself getting hard again. _Shit. Dead puppies. Dead puppies. Coach Sylvester in a bikini. Yes._ Rachel nipped at his lower lip, soothed it with her tongue, slipped her tongue into his mouth and _Holy shit!_ He was hard again, _where the fuck did she learn that?_ He backed her against the wall, ground himself into her. _Fuck, fuck, fuck. Coach Tanaka in a bikini. Baseball. _He pulled away from her, "Shit, baseball."

She looked up at him, dazed, "What?"

"Practice, I have to leave my house in," he glanced at the clock, _fuck,_ "ten minutes."

"Oh, Noah, I'm sorry."

"Are you fucking kidding, I'll take this over practice anytime. But I have to go get my shit, and now I have to rub one out before I leave." She sputtered in response. He kissed her quickly, "What? I don't want to explain to coach or the guys why I have a hard on at practice." He said, shimmying out the window.

* * *

At three thirty that afternoon Rachel walked through the front door and looked at the stairs wearily. "I know your tired Pumpkin, but since you missed your classes yesterday, you had to make them up."

"I know dad." She muttered, wondering how long it would take her to crawl up the stairs. Her muscles felt like water and it was only sheer will power holding her up.

"Oh, good, Richard, Rachel your home." Alan said walking into the room, "I just got off the phone with Sharon, she invited us over for dinner."

Rachel groaned softly. Not that she didn't want to see Noah, but she'd just finished five hours of dance lessons, all she wanted to do was take a hot bath and sleep for hours. "What time?"

"Seven."

_Oh thank god. I can still take my bath and nap for a little while._ "Alright, I'm going to go clean up." She took a deep breath and climbed the stairs slowly, cringing every time she had to lift her leg. Closing her bedroom door behind her she dropped her bags where she stood, peeling her clothes off as she made her way to the bathroom.

She turned the taps on the bath, filled it partially before tossing in several lavender scented bath beads into the tub. As the water climbed she pulled on her robe, walked back into her bedroom, grabbing a book and her iPod. As she walked to the bathroom she heard the opening bars of 'Whole Lotta Love.' She groaned as she bent to grab it from her bag.

"Hello, Noah."

"Hey, Rach. Did you hear?"

"Hmm?" She asked stepping back into the bathroom.

"You and your dads are coming for dinner."

"Yes, daddy just told me." Rachel paused a moment, "Did you call just to tell me that my parents and I are going to your house for dinner?"

"Nah, I called to tell you that I got you a present."

"What?"

"It's a surprise." He replied chuckling, "Also, the hells that noise?"

"What? Oh, I'm getting a bath ready, I just got back from dance."

"Just got back from… Weren't you leaving for class just as I left you house this morning?"

"Yes," she replied turning off the water. "I missed my dance classes last night. I had to make them up, along with the two I normally have on Saturdays."

"Jesus." He muttered. "How the hell are you still standing?"

She moaned as she stepped into the bubble bath, "Stubbornness." She sighed slipping into the water so that it reached her shoulders.

"Jesus Christ, do you know what you're doing to me with those noises?"

She smiled softly, "As nice as that is to hear, Noah, I can barely move right now. _Five_ hours of dance classes today."

He chucked, "I'll let you get back to it then. Feel better."

She sunk lower in the water, "Thank you Noah. I'll see you tonight.

* * *

Rachel fought the urge to tug on the hem of her dress as her dad knocked on the Puckerman's door. It was ridiculous, it wasn't as if she hadn't met Noah's mother before. Lima was a small town, its Jewish population was even smaller, but her stomach was filled with butterflies. _Forget butterflies_ she thought as she heard footsteps approaching, _pterodactyls, _warring_ pterodactyls._

She was mildly surprised to see Noah's sister answer the door, "Hi, I'm Eden."

Richard and Alan looked at each other amusedly, "Hi, Eden. I'm Alan, this is Richard, and this is Rachel."

"I know Rachel." Rachel shrugged when her fathers looked at her, "Ms. McNeil pointed her out at dance. She says Rachel's really good." Eden continued closing the door behind the Berrys.

"Eden who are you talking…" Ms. Puckerman started, walking out of the kitchen, "oh, Alan, Richard good to see you. Hello, Rachel. Richard, Alan come into the kitchen I'll get you something to drink. Rachel, Noah should be down in a few minutes."

"I like your dress." Eden said.

"Thank you."

"I don't really like dresses, usually, but yours is green, so it's cool." Rachel glanced down at the dark green dress. "Is your room pink?"

Rachel blinked in confusion, "No."

"Purple?"

"No, it's yellow."

Eden seemed to think it over for a moment, "Okay, I like you."

"Eden, go tell your brother that our guests are here." Ms. Puckerman said exiting the kitchen again.

Eden walked to the bottom of the stairs and shouted, "Noah, your _girlfriend's_ here."

"Eden! Walk up the stairs and tell Noah that the Berrys are here."

"Don't have to, he's coming now." Eden replied turning to sit on the couch to watch TV.

"Hi Mr. Berry, Mr. Berry."

"Hello, Noah." Richard replied.

He turned to Rachel, "Hey, Rach. You look…" _saying 'fucking hot' is not a good choice, _"really nice."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "Thank you, Noah. You look," she paused, lifted her eyebrows, "really nice too."

He grinned at her, whispered, "You totally knew what I was going to say."

She smirked, "I have an idea."

"Ma, when is dinner going to be ready?"

"About fifteen, twenty minutes."

"'K. Come on I want to show you something." Puck grabbed her hand and pulled Rachel towards the stairs when he stopped abruptly. Rachel was giggling silently, "Wait, I didn't mean that the way it came out." He said looking at her fathers.

"I should hope not." Ms. Puckerman said. "Door open, kids."

"Yeah, okay." Puck replied, rubbing his free hand over his face. He glared at Rachel, still giggling, and pulled her up the stairs, "It's not funny.

"Sure it… mmph" Puck pushed her against his bedroom wall, kissing her soundly.

His hands squeezed her hips once before letting go and stepping back. "I was waiting to do that."

Rachel ran her tongue over her top lip, "I'm glad you did."

"Jesus, it's a good thing our parents are here right now. How're you feeling, still sore?"

Her eyes narrowed in confusion, "Why is it good that our parents are here? And yes I am feeling better, I had my bath and took a nap, which did wonders."

Puck shook his head, "I can really only do one conversation at a time."

"You're the one who attempted to talk about two subjects at the same time."

"No, I was changing the subject."

"You still didn't answer my question."

"Which one?"

"Why is it good that our parents are here?"

Puck sighed, "Because if they weren't I would have you against that wall with your dress hiked to your waist in about four point three seconds."

Her eyes went wide and glassy, "Oh."

"Fuck." He muttered kissing her again and pushing her towards the bed. "Sit down, I wanna give you your present."

Rachel walked the rest of the way to the bed, turned to him, "Your sister likes me."

"Yeah? Well, I guess I gotta keep you now." Her eyes went wide as he realized what he said. "Uh, I mean…" He trailed off.

"Yes well, apparently it's because my dress is green and my bedroom is yellow."

He grinned at her, "She's kinda a tomboy. She's also not an idiot. A pain in my ass sometimes; but not an idiot. Here." He tossed a package at her.

Looking down Rachel laughed in surprise, "A word of the day calendar?"

He leered at her, "Take a look at some of the words."

Rachel peeled the plastic from the calendar, turned to January first, "Donkey pun… Noah!" Rachel said scandalized.

"Keep going."

Rolling her eyes Rachel flipped to a random date, "Dirty San…" she stopped, took a deep breath, "Noah this calendar is disgusting and vulgar."

"Yeah," he said fondly, "I figured we could get you up to speed with cursing and shit. "

Rachel shook her head, "Just because I don't use vulgarities." He raised an eyebrow, "Often. Doesn't mean that I don't know what they are."

Looking at her skeptically he grabbed the calendar from her hands, flipped to a random page, "Okay, pearl necklace."

She raised her eyebrows, "What about it?"

"What is it?"

Rachel grinned, "Noah, we haven't gotten to that stage of our relationship yet, if and when it does maybe there can be a demonstration."

He calendar dropped heavily on to the floor as his eyes went wide, "Holy shit. Don't fuck with me."

She snorted at the dopey look on his face, "I guess we wont have that demonstration then, will we?"

Puck grabbed her by the hips, pulled her to him and kissed her roughly. "Ugh, gross." He opened his eyes to see Eden standing in the doorway; "Mom says it's time for diner."

"Yeah, okay." Puck didn't let go of her hips.

"Are you going to do more of that?"

"Maybe." He replied.

"Gross. Who wants someone else's tongue in your mouth?"

"Yes, Noah, who wants someone else's tongue in your mouth?" Rachel asked, eyes shining, as they made their way down the stairs.

"I can think of plenty of things of yours that I'd like in my mouth." Rachel snorted as she took her seat, causing both of her fathers to look at her strangely.

"Noah, can you get the roast?"

"Yeah, sure, Ma. I'll be back in a sec." Puck returned with the pot roast and sat across from Rachel.

Rachel was surprised at how well the conversation seemed to be going, she was starting to suspect that Ms. Puckerman was a seating genius. Ms. Puckerman was at the head of the table with Noah to her left and Rachel to her right. Eden sat on Noah's left, Alan on Rachel's right. Richard sat at the other end of the table. Eden was keeping both of her father's occupied; they both seemed quite amused with the little girl. Noah kept bumping her feet with his own then grinning at her when she looked over.

"So, Rachel, how is school going?" Ms. Puckerman asked.

"It's going quite well, thank you."

"Well, we're working on the geometry grade, but everything else is doing well." Richard said. Puck glanced at Rachel, saw his mother do the same. They both watched as she pressed her lips together tightly and looked down.

"That reminds me, Rachel, Ms. Binger called the other day." Alan said.

"Oh?"

"Yes, she wanted to let dad and I know that your average has improved. It's now an eighty-seven for the year, which is a definite improvement. However, you still need to be a few points higher to be where you need to be." Rachel flushed, but still didn't say anything.

"Wait." Eden said looking at Alan confused, "I thought that an eighty-seven was a good grade."

"It is a decent grade," Richard replied "but in the next couple of years Rachel is going to be apply so some of the most competitive colleges in the country. We don't want something like this to be the reason she doesn't get accepted."

Puck watched as the flush worked it's way up Rachel's neck to her ears. "Hey, Ma." He said suddenly. "Did I tell you about that English paper we got back the other day?"

Ms. Puckerman looked away from Rachel and over to her son in surprise, "No, how did you do."

"Pretty good, I got an eighty-nine. Rachel aced it though, got a ninety-nine."

"That's very impressive Rachel, congratulations. And I'm very proud of you as well, Noah. You've really been putting in much more effort into your school work the last few months."

"Thanks, but Rachel helped me actually." Puck watched as her eyes went wide and she shook her head subtly. "I cornered her before glee a couple of time to ask for some pointers, so she kinda pushed me in the right direction."

Ms. Puckerman blinked at his outburst. "That's very kind of you, dear, thank you for helping Noah."

"Why doesn't Rachel just help Noah with English and he can help her with math?" Eden asked suddenly. Everyone looked at her in surprise, "What? Rachel's awesome in English and Noah needs help. Noah's awesome at math and Rachel needs help." She turned to Rachel's fathers, "Noah always helps me with my math homework, he's really good."

Puck was fairly certain he had never loved his sister more than he did at this moment. "I could really use the help, Rachel knows how to explain things in a way I can understand."

"Rachel's fathers and I will talk about it." Ms. Puckerman replied vaguely, but Puck saw the look in her eye, _the deal was fucking settled._ "So, Rachel, tell me about dance. Your father says you were at the studio all day."

The rest of the night passed quickly, without school being mentioned again. When dinner and dessert were cleaned up Ms. Puckerman shooed Rachel and Puck outside, "Why don't you two go for a walk, it's a nice night, and I'm sure you're both tired of being cooped inside."

The moment they closed the front door Puck pulled her into a hug. "Thank you." She murmured snuggling into him. "Noah, do you think we could just sit somewhere, the aspirin I took earlier is wearing off, I'm starting to feel sore again."

"Sure." He muttered taking her hand and pulling her into the backyard. He tugged her to the swing set and nudged her into a swing. "Better?"

"Mmm." She replied. "I'm sorry about my dads."

"Why are you apologizing for them?" He asked, pushing her gently.

"It's… it's just…" She huffed out an annoyed breath, "God, sometimes they're just giant _douchetards._"

Puck was so stunned that he missed her back completely when he tried to push her, instead thrusting his hand about a foot to her left. "The fuck did you just say?" He walked around the swing to stare at her.

She grinned at him, "It was today's word on my calendar, I thought it fit."

"You said 'douchtard.' Say it again."

"What? Why?"

"'Cause that's one of the funniest fucking things that I've ever heard. Come on, say it again."

She stuck her tongue at him, "Idiot." She said fondly.

"Rachel, it's time to go." Richard called from the back door.

"Coming dad." She slid off the swing, "Goodbye, Noah." She murmured softly.

He hugged her again, tilted her head up by the chin and brushed his lips tenderly against hers, "'Night, Rach."


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: First and foremost I want to say thanks for all the reviews; one can never have to many. Seriously, they're like crack, I can't get enough. Second, I want to apologize for the long delay in getting this chapter up, it's a little longer than usual to make up for that. No worries though, I wont be abandoning this story, in fact it's almost over =( Though there should be about two or three more chapters. Lastly, I just want to let everyone know there are some spoilers for _Spring Awakening_ about a third of the way through- I just couldn't help myself. It's an awesome play. I went to college in NYC and may have seen it six times.- Anyway, if you don't want to know anything about it you can skip over it without missing anything integral to the plot. Hope you all enjoy.

**Chapter 10**

_Friendship is like a prism through which the many variations of beauty are revealed in our lives. –Anonymous_

_The rare pleasure of being seen for what one is, compensates for the misery of being it. –Margaret Drabble_

Rachel hummed to herself as she made her way to her locker Monday morning, smiling softly. Her dads had told her of the schedule they had made with Ms. Puckerman, for ten hours a week she and Noah would be tutoring each other. It was about the same amount that they were doing now, but now she didn't have to hide it from her fathers.

She was still smiling to herself when Finn walked up behind her, "You and Puck, huh?"

Rachel jumped slightly; it was the first time that he had chosen to speak to her in months. "What?" She asked surprised.

"You and Puck, it's all over school."

Rachel glanced around, it was early still and the school was practically empty. Now that she looked, however, people did seem to be staring at her more than usual. "Yes."

"Are you doing this to hurt me?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, "What do you have to do with it?" She bit out.

"Rachel, I know you like me, I like you too. Is he, like, some sort of substitute until I ask you out?"

She pressed her lip together for a moment to gain some composure, "I'll admit that when you first joined glee, Finn, I had feelings for you. However, you've repeatedly shown that you care more about yourself, your reputation, Quinn, despite what she did to you, than you do for me." Finn opened his mouth, but Rachel continued, "You broke my heart Finn, more than once. So, to answer your question, no, Noah is not a substitute for you, he's the person I want to be with." She turned to go, but Finn grabbed her by the elbow, pulled her back.

"I'm sorry, Rachel, I never meant to hurt you."

"I know that."

"It's just that I had all this other stuff going on. I thought I was having a baby, I needed to man up, you know. I didn't want my kid to do without because I was stupid enough to get my girlfriend pregnant." Rachel didn't mention the times before knew about Quinn being pregnant. "Then, after I knew that it wasn't mine, I couldn't deal. She was my girlfriend and he was my best friend, I wanted everyone to hurt the way I did."

Rachel felt her eyes fill with tears, "Well, congratulations, you certainly succeeded."

He pulled her close, "Rachel, I want to be with you."

Her stomach clenched, she would have given anything to hear those words a few months ago, but now, now things were different. She pulled away, fighting back tears, "I'm sorry, Finn, but I'm with Noah."

"But I'm in love with you."

Rachel closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around herself to ward off the pain as her heart ached, "No, you don't."

Finn pulled her close to him, "I do, Rachel, I do."

She wasn't sure if he was trying to convince her or himself. "Finn I can't be with someone I can't trust."

He stepped away, shook his head in disgust, "And you trust him?"

She didn't hesitate, "Yes. He's always there when I need him."

"He also used to throw Slushies on you every damn day."

Her voice went cold, "I'm aware, thank you. However, _used to_ is the operative phrase."

"All he ever wants is sex, Rachel. Once you put out he'll get tired of you and when that happens I wont be here to pick up the pieces."

_You never were._ "I'm perfectly able to pick up my own pieces, thank you." The warning bell sounded, causing her to jump. "Goodbye, Finn."

She was in a horrendous mood for the rest of the day, scowling at everyone who stared at her. There was also the incident where she caused a freshman girl who stood approximately four inches taller than her to burst into hysterical tears and run away. Santana, who'd witnessed the episode, gave her a thumbs up, and when Puck heard about it he kissed her and called her his 'favorite badass.'

Needless to say she was in no mood for glee that afternoon, but couldn't bring herself to skip it. Regionals were coming up, and she wasn't able to justify it. Mr. Schue grinned when she and Puck walked though the door behind Mike and Matt, which caught her off guard for a moment. She didn't remember the last time that he had _really_ smiled at her.

"Regionals." He said, underlining the word he'd written on the white board. "As you guys know Regionals are coming up in a few weeks and we need to come up with a set list." Kurt raised his hand, "Hold on Kurt. Now I have a couple of ideas, but I have one last assignment before we settle on songs."

Rachel resisted, barely, rolling her eyes. _Of course he has an assignment for us three weeks before Regionals, because why do we need to practice a set list before hand?_

"Each of you will be singing a solo." There was a quiet murmuring of voices, song choices. Mr. Schue quieted them down, grinned hugely. "Your song choices will be provided by your teammates."

"What do you mean our songs will be chosen by our teammates?" Kurt asked, clearly confused.

"I want a song list from each of you on Thursday, with a song for each of your teammates. I will make a list for each of you with your eleven choices and you will pick one of the songs to sing as a solo. Performances will be next Wednesday. _And_ in order to ensure you all pick songs you feel work for your teammates and not eleven random songs, the person who has the most of their choices sung will pick one of our songs for Regionals. I will let you know who chose the song you sang after your performance."

"So, Rach," Puck started, throwing an arm over her shoulders, "Are we headed to your house or mine?" He asked as they walked out of the music room.

"Yours." She grinned up at him, "While your mother is, apparently, a miracle worker, my fathers still don't want us to be left unattended. And since Daddy is has to fill in for a professor at the Med School at OSU and Dad is gearing up for a trial he's going to be home later than normal until it's over they don't want us their alone. That reminds me, though, dad wanted me to give you something." She rolled her eyes when Puck snorted out a laugh. "Shut up, you know that's not what I meant." She muttered jabbing a finger into his side. She rummaged through her locker for a moment before pulling out the manila folder Puck had given to her father. "Here."

He stared at it for a moment before taking it, he could hear the blood rushing through his ears, "Did you read it?"

"No. Dad said it was private."

He grabbed her roughly, squeezed, "Can you?" He whispered.

"Okay." She replied softly. She opened the folder, read the note her father had added to the stack of paperwork. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "You asked my dad to help with the adoption?"

"I, uh, no. Not exactly." Rachel didn't say anything, just waited for him to continue. "I just want to make sure my little girl is taken care of. All that legal shit makes my head hurt, so I asked him to look it over to make sure everything, is you know, legit."

Rachel took a deep breath, pulled his face to hers and kissed him softly. "So, what does it say?" He asked when they broke apart.

"Basically that he recommends a few changes, he noted them on stickies, but that everything seems to be in order."

"Okay." He took a deep breath, "Okay." He said again. "Thanks, Rach."

She looked at him as she climbed into his truck, "For what, I didn't do anything."

"For not reading it when your dad gave it to you, I know how curious you get. And for reading it when I asked."

As he looked uncomfortable talking about it Rachel decided not to push the subject or mention the funny feeling she got knowing he went to her father for help. "Sure."

Rachel had barely walked through Puck's front door when she was all but tackled by Eden. "Hi, Rachel!" The girl said then sniffled loudly.

"Hi, how are you?" Rachel asked mildly amused when the girl let go.

"Good, guess what?"

"What?" Rachel asked raising her eyebrows at Puck, who just shrugged in response.

"I lost a tooth today, see." Eden tugged Rachel's hand to get her attention, pointed out the gap with her tongue. "We were drawing in art and I was biting on the marker, which mom says is bad, but whatever. Anyway, I bit down and I heard a little pop and then there was all this blood and my tooth fell out. It was so _cool_."

"Uh, cool?" Rachel said uncertainly, feeling slightly nauseous.

Eden sniffled again, grinned. "It was. You know what else?"

"What?"

"Noah says that when I put my tooth under pillow the tooth fairy takes it and leaves money. Last time I got three dollars. For one tooth. And this one's bigger, so I bet I'll get at least five."

"Alright, twerp." Puck said hurriedly, "Stop snotting all over Rachel, we have to go study."

Sniffing Eden stuck out her tongue at Puck, "Bye, Rachel." She said hugging Rachel again.

Rachel cupped Puck's cheek, "You're very sweet."

"I'm not, I'm a badass. Badasses are not sweet. Now come on." He muttered swatting her ass. "I need to learn about _The Catcher in the Rye_."

Rachel groaned the next morning when her alarm went off. She closed her eyes and squeezed the bridge of her nose to relieve the pressure. Groaning again she pushed herself out of bed and shuffled downstairs to the kitchen. "Daddy?"

"Rachel?" Her father said, "You look terrible. Are you feeling okay?" He asked.

"No, my head's stuffed and my throat is killing me."

Her father turned, searched the cabinet next to the refrigerator, and pulled a box from the back. "Take two of these every six hours, rest today, and we'll see how you feel tomorrow morning."

"Okay." She muttered grimacing.

"Feel better, Sweetie." He said handing her a glass of orange juice.

"Thanks." She replied swallowing the pills. Rachel detoured to the den to pick out a couple of movies to watch before heading back up to her room. She placed the stack of movies on her desk, next to her laptop; _I really have to talk to dad and daddy about getting a T.V. in here._ Thinking she'd lay down for minute before starting a movie she closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes again it was twelve thirty. Sighing she went to the kitchen dumped what was left of her orange juice and poured herself a new glass. Flinching slightly at the burn she felt as she swallowed the juice along with the cold medicine she made her way back to her room, closing the door behind her. She debated getting back into bed, but decided to take a shower first.

Running a comb through her hair she stepped out of the bathroom. Putting the comb down she pulled her hair into a messy ponytail, grabbed the DVD on the top of the stack, and brought it and her laptop to her bed.

She grabbed a pillow, folded in half and lay next to her laptop as she popped the DVD in. She closed her eyes as she heard the opening strands of the play, smiled softly when she heard singing.

_Mama who bore me_

_Mama who gave me _

_No way I handle things_

_Who made me so sad_

She jerked awake at the sound of the doorbell. She paused the DVD, glanced at her clock. _Two thirty? Who could that be?_ She scrambled down the stairs as the doorbell rang again. She opened the door and blinked in surprise, "Noah?"

"Hey short stack, you look like crap."

"Thanks." She muttered sarcastically tugging on the bottom of her tee shirt. "I feel like it too."

He gave her a small smile, looked her up and down "It's really not that bad, I'm just not used to seeing you like this."

Rachel raised her eyebrows, "Like what? Dying?"

He let out a small laugh, "Overdramatic?"

She huffed out a breath, "What are you doing here? Aside from torturing an invalid."

He laughed again, "You're cute when you're sick." He pulled her into a hug, kissed her forehead.

"Noah! I'm going to get you sick."

"Don't worry about it, I think you've got what my sister has, so I've already been exposed."

Rachel snuggled into him, "So what are you doing here?"

"I brought you your homework, I know how you are with shit like that. I didn't think you'd want to fall behind."

She beamed at him, "Thank you. Come on you can carry it up to my room."

He shook his head as he followed her up the stairs, "I think you might be the only person who's excited about having homework brought to them when their sick, you know that."

Rachel shrugged, opened her mouth, but was interrupted, "Holy shit! You're watching porn."

Her head whipped around, "I certainly am not."

He pointed to her laptop, "Boobs."

She glanced back to her computer and began to laugh. "It's not…." She trailed off into a fit of laughter. Sitting down, tears streaming down her face, she attempted to gain her composure as Puck looked at her with narrowed eyes. Rachel took a deep breath, "It's not porn. It's a play."

"A play?"

"Yes. Come on I'll restart it, I slept through the whole first half anyway." He looked at her skeptically, "You'll like it, I promise."

Settling himself behind her on her bed he wrapped his arms around her waist, "And what if I don't?"

She turned her head to look at him; "I'll make it up to you then." Snuggling back she hit play.

"Hold up a sec."

Hitting pause Rachel turned to him again, "What?"

"Why are there people's heads in the way?"

She blushed slightly, "My fathers felt I was too young to see the play when it was on Broadway, so I may or may not have purchased a bootleg copy of it."

He let out a full belly laugh, hit play himself, "Only you, baby, only you." He didn't notice her breath catch at the use of the nickname or the way she grinned though the entire first half of Act I.

Rachel had seen the play a dozen times, so she paid more attention to Puck's reactions than to the play itself. He grinned through _Bitch of Living_, snickered slightly the first time Melchior lightly struck Wendla with a switch, muttered an, "oh, shit" when Melchior got into it. His eyes lit up and he pulled her closer through the hayloft scene, and he laughed out loud during _Totally Fucked_. It wasn't until Frau Bergman asked about Wendla's nausea that Rachel realized it might be a mistake to watch this play with Noah.

Hitting pause she turned to him, "The hell Rach?" He muttered before she could open her mouth. "Hey, you okay?" He asked when he saw the nervous look on her face.

"I'm fine, Noah, it's just I've just realized that you may find plot a little close for comfort. I'll understand if you want be to turn it off."

He put his fingers under her chin, tilted it so she met his eyes, "Okay, yeah, the whole teen pregnancy thing, I can relate to that. But I really want to see the end."

"Are you sure?"

"Are you kidding, I've never been a huge fan of theater, but anything that has a song with the lyrics 'You're fucked all right, and all for spite. You can kiss your sorry ass goodbye.' Has my vote." She grinned at him, kissed his cheek, and hit play.

He pulled her closer, held tightly when he realized what had happened to Wendla, and didn't let go until the end. He hit eject, placed the DVD upside down on her nightstand and placed her laptop on the ground. "Noah, what are you doing?"

He didn't respond, just kissed her neck, stroked her bare stomach under her shirt. She let out a soft moan when he tugged her earlobe into his mouth, "Noah, I'm sick."

"So I wont kiss your mouth."

He flipped them so she was under him, on her back. He tugged her shirt up and over her head and immediately palmed her breast. "Okay." She gasped breathily.

He grinned against her skin as he kissed his way to her other breast, took her nipple into his mouth. She arched her back pressed her hand to the back of his head. "Noah." She moaned. He nipped his way down her stomach, dipped his tongue into her belly button causing her hips to jerk against him. "Oh, God."

His mouth moved lower, teeth scraping along her hipbone. Her fingers tightened against the back of his neck. Smiling against her again he nipped her hip again, determined to leave his mark on her. "Please, Noah, please."

He glanced up at her, met her eyes, "Are you sure?"

"Yes." She gasped, "Touch me, Noah, please."

He hooked his fingers in her shorts and panties, pulled them down her legs. He took a moment to look at her, "Noah?" She asked as an embarrassed flush worked its way up her chest and neck.

"You're beautiful." He kissed her hipbone again, the inside of each thigh before making his way to her center.

Rachel called out and fisted her hands in the sheets at the first touch of his tongue. Using only his mouth and fingers he brought her, screaming, to peak. "Holy shit." He muttered against her thigh. He pushed himself up lay next to her, wrapped his arm around her waist.

She snuggled back, felt him hard, against her. "Noah." She murmured reaching back.

He grabbed her wrist, "Not toady."

She turned her head, looked at him in confusion, "Don't you want me to?"

"God, yes." He muttered, kissing her neck. "But today is about you." He sat up, "Now, I'm gonna run to the bathroom, you put some clothes on and I'll meet you in the kitchen."

"The kitchen?" She asked he made his way to the bathroom.

"Yeah, I'm gonna make you the Puckerman special." At her raised eyebrows he continued, "No really. My mom always makes it for Eden and me when we're sick."

By the time she made it to the kitchen he was standing in front of the stove, dumping salt into a frying pan of eggs. "That's a lot of salt."

"Shut up, I'm cooking." But he didn't add any extra salt. He turned, looked in the refrigerator, "Where's the grape jelly?"

"We don't have any."

He stared at her, "Why the hell not."

"I don't like grape jelly." She walked to the refrigerator, pulled out strawberry jam, "I have this."

"How do you not like grape jelly? Grape's your favorite flavor everything."

"It's not the grape," Rachel replied, "I don't like jelly."

"You don't like jelly? Who doesn't like jelly?"

"I don't like food that wiggles, it creeps me out."

He laughed as toast popped from the toaster. "Fine, I'll use this." He said taking the jam from her. "What about Jell-O?"

She shuddered, "Gross, no thanks."

He shook his head, "You're so weird." He placed the plate in front of her.

She looked down at his concoction, "Scrambled eggs and jam on toast?"

"Eat, it's good."

She took a bite as the front door opened. "You're right it is good."

"Rachel?"

"In here, dad."

"How are you feeling, pumpkin?" Richard asked as he walked into the kitchen, "Oh, hello Noah."

"Surprisingly, much better. Noah brought me my homework and made me dinner."

"Did you have something, Noah?"

"No, sir, I already ate." Rachel choked on her toast, Puck grinned at her behind her father's back. "I also wanted to thank you for looking over those papers for me."

"You're welcome, Noah."

"I'm gonna get going. Bye, Mr. Berry." He bent down to kiss Rachel on the forehead, "Bye, Rach."

The day of their glee solos Rachel was feeling uncharacteristically nervous, she was planning to play piano with her performance, something she hadn't done in glee before. She couldn't wait and was tugging Puck down the hall to get to the music classroom. "Come _on_, Noah."

He grinned down at her, "Calm down, Rach, it's still gonna be there if we're a little late."

"Okay, guys, performance day." Mr. Schue said as they walked in. "Everyone sit down. To keep everything fair, and to insure no complaining as to the order I'll be picking your names from a hat. After each performance I'll put a tally mark under the name of the person who chose your song." He explained gesturing towards the white board, which held all of their names. "Okay, first up," he dipped his hand into the top hat, "Finn."

Finn stood from his seat, walked to the middle of the room, took a deep breath and nodded at Brian.

_**She can kill with a smile**_

_**She can wound with her eyes**_

_**She can ruin your faith with her casual lies**_

_**And she only reveals what she wants you to see**_

_**She hides like a child,**_

_**But she's always a woman to me**_

_**She can lead you to love**_

_**She can take you or leave you**_

_**She can ask for the truth**_

_**But she'll never believe **_

_**And she'll take what you give her, as long as it's free**_

_**Yeah, she steals like a thief**_

_**But she's always a woman to me**_

_**Oh she takes care of herself**_

_**She can wait if she wants**_

_**She's ahead of her time**_

_**Oh and she never gives out**_

_**And she never gives in**_

_**She just changes her mind**_

_**And she'll promise you more**_

_**Than the Garden of Eden**_

_**Then she'll carelessly cut you**_

_**And laugh while you're bleedin'**_

_**But she'll bring out the best**_

_**And the worst you can be**_

_**Blame it all on yourself**_

_**Cause she's always a woman to me**_

_**Oh she takes care of herself**_

_**She can wait if she wants**_

_**She's ahead of her time**_

_**Oh and she never gives out**_

_**And she never gives in**_

_**She just changes her mind**_

_**She is frequently kind**_

_**And she's suddenly cruel**_

_**She can do as she pleases**_

_**She's nobody's fool**_

_**And she can't be convicted**_

_**She's earned her degree**_

_**And the most she will do**_

_**Is throw shadows at you**_

_**But she's always a woman to me**_

Everyone clapped as Finn finished. "Good job, Finn." Mr. Schue said grabbing a marker. He put a small line under Quinn's name. "Okay, let's see who's next." Mr. Schue grabbed a small piece of paper, "Quinn. Let's see what you have for us."

Quinn bit her lip nervously as she passed Finn on her way to the center of the room. As the first strands of music sounded Rachel's eyes went wide and she squeezed Puck's hand, "Good choice." She muttered softly.

_**Whispering**_

_**Here the ghosts in the moonlight**_

_**Sorrow doing a new dance**_

_**Through their bone, through their skin**_

_**Listening**_

_**To the souls in the fool's night**_

_**Fumbling mutely with their rude hands**_

_**And there's heartache without end**_

_**See the father bent in grief**_

_**The mother dressed in mourning**_

_**Sister crumbles, and the neighbors grumble**_

_**The preacher issues warnings**_

_**History**_

_**Little miss didn't do right**_

_**Went and ruined all the true plans**_

_**Such a shame. Such a sin.**_

_**Mystery**_

_**Home alone on a school night**_

_**Harvest moon over the blue land**_

_**Summer longing on the wind**_

_**Had a sweetheart on his knees**_

_**So faithful and adoring**_

_**And he touched me. And I let him love me.**_

_**So let that be my story**_

_**Listening**_

_**For the hope, for the new life**_

_**Something beautiful, a new chance**_

_**Hear its whispering**_

_**There again**_

Quinn wiped a tear from her eye as everyone clapped. "Wow, Quinn, that was amazing." Mr. Schue complemented as he put a mark under Puck's name.

"Thanks." She said softly, taking her seat next to Santana.

Mr. Schue pulled another name from the hat, "Okay, Mercedes, your turn."

Mercedes grinned as she took her spot on the floor.

_**There's a light **_

_**In the darkness **_

_**Though the night **_

_**Is black as my skin **_

_**There's a light **_

_**Burning bright **_

_**Showing me the way **_

_**But I know where I've been **_

_**There's a cry **_

_**In the distance **_

_**It's a voice **_

_**That comes from deep within **_

_**There's a cry **_

_**Asking why **_

_**I pray the answer's up ahead **_

_**Yeah**_

_**'Cause I know where I've been **_

_**There's a road **_

_**We've been travelin' **_

_**Lost so many on the way **_

_**But the riches **_

_**Will be plenty **_

_**Worth the price **_

_**The price we had to pay **_

_**There's a dream **_

_**In the future **_

_**There's a struggle **_

_**That we have yet to win **_

_**And there's pride **_

_**In my heart **_

_**'Cause I know **_

_**Where I'm going **_

_**Yes I do!**_

_**And I know where I've been **_

_**Yeah**_

_**There's a road **_

_**We must travel **_

_**There's a promise **_

_**We must make **_

_**But the riches **_

_**Will be plenty **_

_**Worth the risk **_

_**And chances that we take**_

_**There's a dream**_

_**Yeah yey yeah **_

_**In the future **_

_**There's a struggle **_

_**That we have yet to win **_

_**Use that pride **_

_**In our hearts **_

_**To lift us up **_

_**Until tomorrow **_

_**'Cause just to sit still **_

_**Would be a sin **_

_**I know it, I know it **_

_**I know where I'm going **_

_**Lord knows I know. **_

_**Where I've been **_

_**Oh! When we win, **_

_**I'll give thanks to my god **_

_**'Cause I know where I've been**_

"Great job, Mercedes." Mr. Schue said as she finished. Kurt whistled his approval.

"Awesome." He said as Mercedes took her seat next to him. "I can't wait to go."

They watched as Mr. Schue ticked a mark under Rachel's name. "Okay guys, so far we've got Quinn, Rachel, and Puck on the board. Up next we've got…" He dipped his hand into the hat, "Matt."

Matt got up slowly, grinned at the band as he nodded for them to start.

_**Say the word and you'll be free**_

_**Say the word and be like me**_

_**Say the word I'm thinking of**_

_**Have you heard the word is love?**_

_**It's so fine, It's sunshine**_

_**It's the word, love**_

_**In the beginning I misunderstood**_

_**But now I've got it, the word is good**_

_**Spread the word and you'll be free**_

_**Spread the word and be like me **_

_**Spread the word I'm thinking of **_

_**Have you heard the word is love?**_

_**It's so fine, It's sunshine**_

_**It's the word, love**_

_**Everywhere I go I hear it said**_

_**In the good and the bad books that I have read**_

_**Say the word and you'll be free**_

_**Say the word and be like me **_

_**Say the word I'm thinking of**_

_**Have you heard the word is love?**_

_**It's so fine, It's sunshine**_

_**It's the word, love**_

_**Now that I know what I feel must be right**_

_**I'm here to show everybody the light**_

_**Give the word a chance to say**_

_**That the word is just the way**_

_**It's the word I'm thinking of**_

_**And the only word is love**_

_**It's so fine, It's sunshine**_

_**It's the word, love**_

_**Say the word, love**_

_**Say the word, love **_

_**Say the word, love **_

_**Say the word, love **_

Everyone laughed as they clapped, "I thought it would fit." Matt grinned at them all.

"Nice job." Mr. Schue said drawing another line under Puck's name. "Looks like Puck's pulling ahead. Let's see who's next. Rachel."

Rachel took a deep breath and stood slowly. "Mr. Schue I thought I would try a little something different with my song today."

"Okay." He replied slowly obviously unsure as to what she was going to do.

"Brian?" He got up from his seat at the piano gestured for her to sit.

_Okay, here it goes._ Rachel closed her eyes and started playing.

_**I don't know how else to put this**_

_**It's taken me so long to do this**_

_**I'm falling asleep and I can't see straight**_

_**My muscles feel like a melee**_

_**My body's curled in a U-shape**_

_**I put on my best but I'm still afraid**_

_**Propped up by lies and promises**_

_**Saving my place as life forgets**_

_**Maybe its time I saw the world**_

_**I'm only here for a while**_

_**But patience is not my style**_

_**And I'm so tired that I gotta go**_

_**Where am I supposed to hide now?**_

_**What am I suppose to do?**_

_**Did you really think I wouldn't see this through**_

_**Tell me I should stick around for you**_

_**Tell me I could have it all**_

_**I'm still too tired to care and I gotta go**_

Rachel continued playing as the rest of the band joined in.

_**I get to go home in one week**_

_**But I leaving home in three weeks**_

_**They throw me a bone just to pick me dry**_

_**I'm following suit and directions**_

_**I crawl up inside for protection**_

_**I'm told what to do and I don't know why**_

_**I'm over existing in limbo**_

_**I'm over the myths and placebos**_

_**I don't really mind if I just fade away**_

_**I'm ready to live with my family**_

_**I'm ready to die in obscurity**_

_**Cause I'm so tired that I gotta go**_

_**Where am I supposed to hide now?**_

_**What am I suppose to do?**_

_**You still don't think I'm going see this through**_

_**Tell me I'm a part of history**_

_**Tell me I can have it all**_

_**I'm still to tired to care and I gotta go**_

_**Oh yeah**_

_**Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah.**_

_**Still too tired to care and I gotta go**_

_**Still too tired to care and I gotta go**_

_**Still too tired to care and I gotta go**_

_**Yeah, yeah**_

_**Still to tired to care and I gotta go**_

_**Go home**_

_**Still to tired to care and I gotta go**_

_**Yeah yeah**_

_**Still to tired to care and I gotta go**_

There was silence for a second, before everyone started clapping. "Rachel, that was… wow. It was fantastic." Mr. Schue said.

Puck kissed her softly, "Fucking awesome." He whispered softly so that Mr. Schue couldn't hear.

"Rachel, that was really good. I didn't know you could play piano like that." Artie said.

She grinned at him, "Thanks. I've had lessons since I was three. Though I do have to say it's nice to play something other than classical, though that does have it's place. Unfortunately, however, my tutor doesn't seem to see the merit of anything except classical."

"Great job again, Rachel." He said looking at her.

"Thanks Mr. Schue." She glanced at the white board, "I thought so." She said softly as Britney sang _Hit Me With Your Best Shot. _

"What?" Puck asked.

"I thought that you chose that song. Everything else was Broadway, Barbara, or Celine."

Britney squealed happily as Mr. Schue drew a line under Santana's name. "Great, Britney. Next up, Artie."

_**I was in another lifetime one of toil and blood**_

_**When blackness was a virtue and the road was full of mud**_

_**I came in from the wilderness a creature void of form**_

_**"Come in" she said**_

_**"I'll give you shelter from the storm".**_

_**And if I pass this way again you can rest assured**_

_**I'll always do my best for her on that I give my word**_

_**In a world of steel-eyed death and men who are fighting to be warm**_

_**"Come in" she said**_

_**"I'll give you shelter from the storm".**_

_**Not a word was spoke between us there was little risk involved**_

_**Everything up to that point had been left unresolved**_

_**Try imagining a place where it's always safe and warm**_

_**"Come in" she said**_

_**"I'll give you shelter from the storm".**_

_**I was burned out from exhaustion buried in the hail**_

_**Poisoned in the bushes and blown out on the trail**_

_**Hunted like a crocodile ravaged in the corn**_

_**"Come in" she said**_

_**"I'll give you shelter from the storm".**_

_**Suddenly I turned around and she was standing there**_

_**With silver bracelets on her wrists and flowers in her hair**_

_**She walked up to me so gracefully and took my crown of thorns**_

_**"Come in" she said**_

_**"I'll give you shelter from the storm".**_

_**Now there's a wall between us something there's been lost**_

_**I took too much for granted got my signals crossed**_

_**Just to think that it all began on a long-forgotten morn**_

_**"Come in" she said**_

_**"I'll give you shelter from the storm".**_

_**Well the deputy walks on hard nails and the preacher rides a mount**_

_**But nothing really matters much it's doom alone that counts**_

_**And the one-eyed undertaker he blows a flugelhorn**_

_**"Come in" she said**_

_**"I'll give you shelter from the storm".**_

_**I've heard newborn babies wailing like a mourning dove**_

_**And old men with broken teeth stranded without love**_

_**Do I understand your question man is it hopeless and forlorn**_

_**"Come in" she said**_

_**"I'll give you shelter from the storm".**_

_**In a little hilltop village they gambled for my clothes**_

_**I bargained for salvation and they gave me a lethal dose**_

_**I offered up my innocence and got repaid with scorn**_

_**"Come in" she said**_

_**"I'll give you shelter from the storm".**_

_**Well I'm living in a foreign country but I'm bound to cross the line**_

_**Beauty walks a razor's edge someday I'll make it mine**_

_**If I could only turn back the clock to when God and her were born**_

_**"Come in" she said**_

_**"I'll give you shelter from the storm".**_

"I have to say, you guys…" Mr. Schue started when Artie finished, "I'm very impressed with all of you. You really put a lot of work into these performances." He drew another line under Puck's name.

"Let's take a look at the score. So far we've got Puck in the lead with four, and tied for second; Quinn, Rachel, and Santana. The rest of you still have time to take the lead. Let's see, Kurt."

Everyone clapped when Kurt finished his rendition of _I Wanna Dance With Somebody_. Though, privately, Rachel thought that Whitney did it better. Kurt gave Mercedes a high five when Mr. Schue drew a quick tally mark under her name.

__Mr. Schue dug his name into the hat, "Mike, you're up."

"I just want to say that I'm not starting at the very beginning, because I'd need a girl. I'm sure you guys'll understand once I start.

The music started and everyone in the room grinned.

_**I like big butts and I cannot lie**_

_**You other brothers can't deny**_

_**That when a girl walks in with an itty-bitty waist**_

_**And a round thing in your face**_

_**You get sprung**_

_**Wanna pull up tough**_

_**Cuz you notice that butt was stuffed**_

_**Deep in the jeans she's wearing**_

_**I'm hooked and I can't stop staring**_

_**Oh, baby I wanna get with ya **_

_**And take your picture**_

_**My homeboys tried to warn me**_

_**But that butt you got**_

_**Make Me so horny**_

_**Ooh, rub all that smooth skin**_

_**You say you wanna get in my Benz**_

_**Well use me use me cuz you 'aint that average groupie**_

_**I've seen them dancin' **_

_**To hell with romancin'**_

_**She's sweat, wet, got it goin' like a turbo 'vette**_

_**I'm tired of magazines**_

_**Saying flat butts are the thing**_

_**Take the average black man and ask him that**_

_**She gotta pack much back**_

_**So Fellas **_

The guys all joined in when Matt pointed to them

_Yeah_

_**Fellas**_

_Yeah_

_**Has your girlfriend got the butt **_

_hell yeah_

_**Well shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it, shake that healthy butt**_

_**Baby got back**_

_**Baby got back**_

_**I like 'em round and big**_

_**And when I'm throwin' a gig**_

_**I just can't help myself**_

_**I'm actin' like an animal**_

_**Now here's my scandal**_

_**I wanna get you home**_

_**And UH, double up UH UH**_

Everyone laughed as Matt added some hip thrusts into his dance. "Okay, Matt." Mr. Schue interrupted, "I can't let you finish that song, unfortunately, although you did entertain everyone." Shaking his head he added another mark under Puck's name. "Looks like Puck has taken a commanding lead." He dropped his name into the hat, "Speaking of, Puck, you're next."

Puck dragged a stool into the middle of the room, picked up his guitar, and sat. He took a deep breath as he started playing and stared directly at Rachel.

_**Do you remember when we were just kids**_

_**And cardboard boxes took us miles from what we would miss**_

_**Schoolyard conversations taken to heart**_

_**And laughter took the place of everything we knew we were not**_

_**I wanna break every clock**_

_**The hands of time could never move again**_

_**We could stay in this moment **_

_**For the rest of our lives**_

_**Is it over now hey, hey, is it over now**_

_**I wanna be your last, first kiss**_

_**That you'll ever have**_

_**I wanna be your last, first kiss**_

_**Amazing how life turns out the way that it does**_

_**We end up hurting the worst, the only ones we really love**_

_**I wanna break every clock**_

_**The hands of time could never move again**_

_**We could stay in this moment **_

_**For the rest of our lives**_

_**Is it over now hey, hey, is it over now**_

_**I wanna be your last, first kiss**_

_**That you'll ever have**_

_**I wanna be your last, first kiss**_

_**Is it over now hey, hey, is it over now**_

_**Is it over how hey, hey, it's not over now**_

_**I wanna be your last, first kiss**_

_**That you'll ever have **_

_**I wanna be your last, first love **_

_**Till you're lying here beside me with arms and eyes open wide**_

_**I wanna be your last, first kiss for all time**_

Rachel was on him the moment he put his guitar away, "That was amazing, Noah." She said with shining eyes.

"Thanks."

"Good job." Mr. Schue as everyone clapped, though Finn was looking at him strangely. "And that song choice was thanks to Britney." He continued, marking Britney's name. "Okay, two more. Next up we've got Santana."

Santana walked up cockily with a smirk on her face.

_**As I'm staring through this fire**_

_**It's too late to make you mine**_

_**So far from where we started**_

_**So far from what we wanted**_

_**And as both our worlds fall down**_

_**We have lost and we have found**_

_**So far from where we started**_

_**So far from what we wanted**_

_**I've made mistakes, that I can't erase**_

_**I've made mistakes**_

_**If I had more money honey**_

_**Would you love me, love me, love me**_

_**If I wasn't just somebody like me, like me **_

_**I've made mistakes that I can't erase, I've made mistakes**_

_**Oh I should have seen the signs**_

_**Now we're falling back in time**_

_**So far from where we started**_

_**So far from what we wanted**_

_**And I'm trying to right this wrong**_

_**So I need you to be strong**_

_**So far from where we started**_

_**So far from what we wanted**_

_**I've made mistakes, that I can't erase**_

_**I've made mistakes**_

_**If I had more money honey**_

_**Would you love me, love me, love me**_

_**If I wasn't just somebody like me, like me **_

_**I've made mistakes that I can't erase, I've made mistakes**_

_**Ya ya yo, ya ya yo**_

_**I know you know**_

_**So let it go**_

_**ya ya yo, ya ya yo**_

_**I know you,,,**_

_**I've made mistakes**_

_**that I can't erase**_

_**I've made mistakes**_

_**If I had more money honey**_

_**Would you love me, love me, love me**_

_**If I wasn't just somebody like me, like me **_

_**I've made mistakes that I can't erase, I've made mistakes**_

"Really impressive Santana." Mr. Schue said when she finished. He marked a line under Rachel's name.

"Holy crap, really?" Santana said sitting down.

"What are you on about?" Puck asked.

"Berry here knows State of Shock."

"She's full of surprises."

Santana raised an eyebrow, "I'll bet."

"Hey, right here." Rachel said, mildly annoyed. "And yes I am quite the fan."

"Okay, guys, Tina's up. Let's give her the same courtesy she showed the rest of you."

When Tina finished Janet Jackson's _Again_ Mr. Schue drew a line under Mike's name. "Okay, guys, everyone was really impressive, really at the top of your game." He glanced at the board, "And it looks like we have a clear winner, congratulations Puck."

He grinned, kissed Rachel lightly, "Thanks."

Okay, lets see; in order the songs sung were _She's Always a Woman_ by Billy Joel, _Whispering _from Spring Awakening, _I Know Where I've Been _ from Hairspray, _The Word_ by the Beatles, _Zzyzx Rd._ by Stone Sour, _Shelter from the Storm_ by Bob Dylan, _Baby Got Back_ by Sir Mix-A-Lot, _Inevitable_ by Anberlin, and _Money Honey _by State of Shock.

Now Review away!


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Sorry again about the delay. I'm getting married in (holy crap) six weeks and even though work has slowed down my life is ridiculously hectic. Anyway, thanks again to everyone who reviewed. And sorry for the confusion in the last chapter about who sang _Baby Got Back_. It was originally going to be Matt, but I changed my mind and wanted Mike to do it. Apparently, two in the morning, on a weeknight, after you've just finished writing is not the best time to proof read. Who knew? Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, either way though, review and let me know ;)

**Chapter 11**

_We cannot really love anybody with whom we never laugh. – Agnes Repplier_

_If it is your time, love will track you down like a cruise missile. – Lynda Barry_

Rachel yawned and stretched _I love Sundays, it's the one day I don't have to _do _anything_. "'Bout damn time. I've been here _forever_."

Rachel shot up in bed, eyes wide in surprise, "Oh, god, I'm still asleep. I'm having one of those weird dreams where you know you're asleep, but can't wake up." She muttered staring at Santana.

Santana snorted, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Rachel squeezed her eyes closed, "Wake up, wake up. WAKE UP!"

"Things like this, right here, are why people think you're a psycho." Santana said sitting down on the bed, next to Rachel. Quick as a snake she grabbed Rachel's arm and pinched her as hard as she could.

"Ow, damn it."

Santana raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Not dreaming, weirdo."

Pouting Rachel rubbed at the red mark on her arm. "What are you _doing_ here at," she glanced at her alarm clock, "eight forty-five in the morning."

"Jesus, your grouchy."

"You _pinched_ me. And it's eight forty-five in the morning."

"Because you were freaking the fuck out, pay attention. I thought you were supposed to be smart."

Rachel closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "What are you doing here."

"I need help."

Rachel snorted, "You don't say."

Santana rolled her eyes, "Lame. You'd think that fucking Puck you'd at least get some good comebacks."

Rachel's eyes bulged as she turned red, "I'm not… we're not… God, my dads are downstairs. _And we're not having sex_." She hissed.

Laughing Santana made herself comfortable, "Why not? He's fucking awesome at it."

"I haven't… before and I'm not..." Rachel muttered to herself as she rubbed her hands over her face. "Kill me now."

Santana shrugged, "You're not ready, 's cool. You should wait then. My first time was with Jack Chen in the beginning of freshman year, he was a junior. It sucked and I mean _sucked_. Not even a little bit either, hugely. You know what they say about Asians, totally true in his case. It didn't start getting better 'til Puck right before sophomore year started."

Rachel stared at her, mouth agape, shaking her head slightly. "Why are you telling me this?"

"It's not like it's a huge secret, he was kind of a douche like that. Besides, I like to let as many people as possible know about his tiny dick."

"Noah?" Rachel asked confused.

"Chen. You should do yourself a favor though and let him go down on you; Puck, not Chen. Chen couldn't get you off if his life depended on it, especially not with his tongue." Rachel sputtered and turned bright red. Laughing Santana nudged Rachel with her shoulder, "Already let him, huh. How fucking good is he with his mouth?"

Rachel smiled slowly, "Amazing." She wasn't sure what made her answer, she was sitting in bed with her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend, a girl who literally used to torment her, talking about how good said boyfriend was at oral sex. "I want to sleep with him." She muttered suddenly.

Santana blinked a moment, "Well, yeah. You've got a pulse… and a vagina. Though I'm not sure both of those things are necessary." Rachel grinned.

The knock on her door startled them both, "Rachel, sweetie?"

"Yes, daddy?" _God, I hope he didn't hear us._

The door opened, "Good, I wanted to make sure you weren't sleeping while your friend was here. You should get out of bed, it's rude."

She pressed her lips together tightly, "Okay, daddy."

"Dad and I are going to be leaving in a few minutes, we'll be back next Sunday. The flight lands at…"

"Seven in Dayton, yes I know. And you'll be home by nine." Rachel hopped out of bed to give Alan a hug. "Have fun."

"Yes, I'm sure that a week of seminars on everything from hydrocephalus to nerve grafting will be very entertaining."

"At least after we can explore London." Richard replied, walking into the room. "Have a good week, Pumpkin. Be good."

"I will." She hugged Richard, "Bye, dad." When she turned around Santana was looking at her strangely. "What?"

"Your dads are gonna be out of town. For a week."

"So?"

"So? So, your dads are gonna be out of town, _for a week_. We are gonna have a kick ass party."

"What? No." Rachel said in a panic. "Absolutely not."

"Why the hell not, it'll be epic."

Rachel rolled her eyes, "Not everything in the damn world is epic." She muttered. "And because practically everyone in school hates me."

"Hmm, that's not entirely true. Most people don't know who you are." Rachel huffed in annoyance, but Santana continued as if she hadn't heard. "But I guess we can start out slow. Like the people from glee."

"Yeah, like I want to invite Finn to a party at my house."

Santana shrugged, "So don't invite him. It's your party, besides half the fun of having a party is _not_ inviting certain people."

"Well, maybe. If I don't invite Finn. Or Kurt. Or Mercedes."

Santana laughed, "There you go. We'll get the details worked out and let people know later in the week. Anyway, before I forget, the reason I came here, before all the talk about sex and parties, you're kind of a perv, you know that?"

"_ME?_"

"I need help in bio."

"You want me to tutor you in bio?"

"Yeah, Traci's a little bit of a dumbass and I can't fail. Sylvester will kick me off the Cheerios before you can say McKinley."

"I guess." Rachel looked at her clock, "Noah should be here pretty soon. I tutor him in bio too. If you want to stay I could do you both at the same time." She faltered slightly. "And, yes, I do know what I just said, but we're not going to talk about it," she glanced at Santana's amused face, "because it's never, _ever_ going to happen. So what did you need help with?"

"Okay, beside the fact that you want to do me and Puck together, and who could blame you, we're both really hot, that taxonomic rank shit. I can never remember what order they go in."

"King Philip came over to fuck girl scouts."

"The hell? Did you just say 'fuck'?"

"I did, yes. It's been known to happen."

"And what's with the creepy pedophilia?"

"Excuse me?"

"Some dude fucking girl scouts."

Rachel snickered, "It's how I remember the order; kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species. King Philip came over to fuck girl scouts."

"How much time, exactly, have you been spending with Puck?"

"Quite a bit, but he's not the one who came up with the mnemonic. In fact, he's been dying to hear me say fuck forever."

"I bet he has. Especially if he's inside you and you're all," she adopted a high pitched, breathy voice, "'Yes, Noah! Fuck me harder.'"

"One, gross. Two, I do not sound like that."

"Well, since you're not going to do us together, I guess I'll never know. I'll just have to imagine it."

"Do not imagine Noah and I having sex."

Santana closed her eyes, "Here I go. And yes, you do sound exactly like that." She laughed at the scowl on Rachel's face when she opened her eyes. "I'm gonna get going, since you're not into threesomes." The scowl deepened, "How about tomorrow? Cheerios let out at four and we don't have glee."

"We wont have time to get anything done. I have a voice lesson at five thirty and since my dads are going to be away I'm going to have to take the bus, it'll take me at least forty minutes to get there."

"You don't drive?"

"No."

"Like at all?"

Rachel shook her head in confusion, "No."

"Why?"

Rachel turned red, "Um, there was an incident when I first got my permit and now my dads don't let me drive. I figure it's only going to be a couple of years until I go to New York and wont need a car, so it doesn't really matter."

"What could possibly have happened that your parents don't let you drive?"

"It's not important." Rachel replied as the blush crept up her neck.

"No really, what happened?"

"It's really not important."

Santana narrowed her eyes; "I will get it out of you. But I can drive you if you want."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's fine. You help me, I help you. Everybody wins."

"Symbiotic."

Santana stared at her blankly, "What?"

"Oh, god, you do need help. Okay, yes, we'll start tomorrow."

"Cool. So I'm gonna let myself out so you and Puck can do whatever it is that the two of you do and head home."

Rachel glanced at her clock as Santana walked out the door, _crap. Noah's going to be here any minute._ She glanced in her closet, shrugged, _it's not like I'm going anywhere_, and grabbed her usual at home wear of jeans and a tank top. She heard Santana laughing as she wiggled into the jeans, "Santana Lopez, stop picturing me naked." She called down the stairs.

"Well, from the show I just got, it doesn't look like she'll have to picture too hard." She heard Puck say as pulled her shirt over her head.

She whipped around, "You scared me."

He grinned, tossed his books on her still unmade bed, "Sorry. I have to say, though, when she said to ask you about girl scouts fucking I was a little disturbed." He grabbed her hips, pulled her flush against him. "Now I'm intrigued" her eyebrows rose "and more than a little turned on."

"Yes, I feel that." Damn it, her voice _was_ all breathy and high.

He snickered, ran his hand up her side, groaned. "Do you do this to kill me?"

"What?" She asked sucking in a breath as he ran his thumb over her nipple.

"You're not wearing a bra."

"I was rushing, do you want me to put one on?"

"Fuck no." He bent his head to her, but pulled back confused when she pushed at his chest. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just, wait right here." She darted to her bathroom, closing the door behind her. She stood for a moment, took a deep breath, let it out. Then she dashed to the sink to brush her teeth and hair.

"Do I even want to know?" Puck asked when she walked out. She stopped short; he was lying on her bed, her neatly made bed. "What?"

"You made my bed."

"So? I know you don't like things to be messy. And what else was I supposed to do while you were doing god knows what in there." He inclined his head towards the bathroom.

She giggled as he stood up, crossed his arms defensively. "I was brushing my teeth, since I hadn't yet. Santana showed up here this morning. It threw me off."

He wanted to ask what Santana had been doing there in the first place, but she pounced on him, legit _pounced_ on him, and he wasn't an idiot.

She quickly pulled his shirt over his head, pressed open-mouthed kisses along his jaw line before wriggling down. She pulled his head down, nipped at his lower lip with her teeth as she tugged on his nipple ring. "Fuck, Rach."

She looked up at him through heavy lidded eyes, and fuck if he didn't get his pants off soon he was going to _die_.

"Noah, there's something I've been wanting to try." Her hands dropped to the button of his jean, flicked it open.

"Have at it." He muttered and had her giggling again as she pulled at the zipper, pushed his jeans down. "Maybe you could not, you know, laugh when my pants are around my knees, 'k? How 'bout you comment on how awesome I am."

Biting the inside of her cheek she lowered herself to her knees, "God, Noah, you're so big."

"Wiseass." He looked down at her noticing that she was looking at him nervously. "Hey," he said cupping her cheek, "you know you don't have to, right?"

"No, I want to. It's just that I've never done it before and I don't want to be bad at it. Just tell me if I'm doing something wrong. Okay?"

"Rach, your mouth is going to be on my dick, I'm pretty sure there's nothing you could do wrong with that." She smiled up at him,_ Christ I'm gonna come before she even touches me_. "Just, you know, watch the teeth."

Smiling she leaned forward and licked a stripe up he underside of his shaft. "Holy shit." He muttered, his hand sliding into her hair, fisting it when she ran her tongue around the head. His eyes rolled back into his head when she used her hand to play with his balls. "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit." He muttered when he hit the back of her throat and couldn't help thrusting into her mouth.

"Mmph."

He looked down at her, her lips stretched around him, "Sorry." He choked out. "Didn't mean to."

She released him with a soft pop, used her hand to stroke him. "It's fine, I told you, no gag reflex. You just surprised me."

"Don't… shit yeah… don't wanna hurt you."

"I'm fine." She murmured before taking him into her mouth again.

He couldn't take his eyes off her; the sight of her head bobbing up and down had him on the brink faster than normal, _way _faster. When he realized he wasn't going to be able to hold off he knew he had to warn her, it _was_ the polite thing to do. "Rach."

"Hmm?"

His hips jerked in response. "Oh, god." Puck tugged her hair slightly, pulling her head back. "Rach… gonna… fuck… gonna come." She locked eyes with him and swallowed around him. That was all it took, he let out a loud moan as he emptied himself into her mouth. It hit him as he watched her swallow while he was tugging off his shoes, pulling his jeans the rest of the way off. He was in love with her. _When the fuck had that happened?_

"What?" Rachel asked self-consciously, tugging at the bottom of her shirt. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Rather than responding he grabbed her face in his hands kissed her roughly, backed her towards the wall. He pulled her shirt over her head, throwing her shirt somewhere in the direction of her bed, and latched himself to her breast. "Noah." She moaned as one hand gripped the back of his head, the other flattened on the wall beside her. Smiling against her he switched to her other breast. "More, god, more."

He opened the button of her jeans, pushed them down her hips, smiled at her pink polka dotted panties, ran his tongue around her bellybutton. He kissed each of her hipbones gently before hooking his fingers into the front of her panties to pull them down. He tossed them over his shoulder, grinned up at her, kissed the inside of her thigh. "Noah," she whined, "please."

"Please what?" He asked pulling her left leg over his shoulder. He turned his head, kissed the inside of her knee. Her leg jerked as she moaned.

"Noah, stop teasing."

Grinning he spread her with his fingers and circled her clit with his tongue. He pulled back to look up at her, "You taste so good."

"Less talking." She whimpered.

Chuckling to himself he slid two fingers into her as he flattened his tongue against her. He mentally patted his back when he felt her muscles begin to flutter around him, her heel digging into his back. He pumped his fingers faster and sucked hard on her clit. Her back bowed off the wall and her hand pressed his face to her. "God, Noah."

"Yeah, I'm pretty fucking amazing." He replied, setting her foot down. He watched as she slid down the wall to join him on the floor.

"Tired."

He yawned, "Me too. It's still early, lets take a nap."

"Okay. Can you carry me to bed?"

"I don't think so, can you carry me?"

"Definitely not."

"Let's sleep right here then."

"Okay." She muttered snuggling against him.

Rachel woke up several hours later to him slowly stroking her back. "Hey, I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't. How long have you been awake?"

"Not long." _Half an hour_. He bent his head to kiss her softly. He made his way to her neck, biting the juncture of her neck and shoulder gently as he palmed a breast. Even as she moaned her stomach growled. Laughing quietly he pulled back to look down at her, "Hungry?"

"A little. I haven't eaten anything today." He watched in fascination as the flush started at her chest and worked its way up.

He placed a soft kiss between her breasts, "I've always wondered where that started. Come on." He said getting to his feet, pulling her with him. "Let's get some food in you." He walked towards her door, only to turn around at her horrified gasp. "What?"

"Noah!" She said scandalized, "We can't go down there, we're _naked_."

He grinned lecherously at her, "Yeah, I know."

"Stop it." She tried for stern, but they could both hear the laugh in her voice. Turning she found her panties, tugged them on.

"Boo!"

"Idiot." She said affectionately pulling his shirt over her head. "Here," she handed him his pants, "put these on."

"But we're home alone."

"And we're putting clothes on to go to the kitchen and eat."

"But walking around the house naked when you're home alone is one of life's greatest pleasures." She just raised her eyebrows in response. "Not counting what we just did to each other."

"Put your pants on, Noah." She replied shaking her head.

"But…"

"Put your pants on."

"Lame, shorty, very lame."

"For that we're going to study while we eat lunch." She picked up his biology book.

"I take it back, your not lame, your awesome."

Laughing she set the book down on the kitchen table, "I know, but when you go home your mom is going to ask you what we did. Somehow I don't think telling her that we preformed oral sex on each other would be an appropriate response." She pulled out glasses poured each of them some water, took a sip of hers.

"I dunno, she really likes you."

Rachel choked as she attempted to swallow the water, "That's weird." She coughed again, "And kind of creepy."

"Yeah, she's a freak. So what do you have for lunch?"

"I don't know. There should be some leftovers from the Thai we had last night. Why don't you grab that, I'll grab some plates."

After he balanced all the containers, _yes he was that fucking awesome, thanks, _he turned to see her staring at a piece of paper. "What's that?" He asked setting the containers on the table.

"You tell me, it fell out of your text book."

He took the paper from her, "Oh, yeah. Mom saw this the other day down at the community theater and thought of you. I wanted to give it to you before, but you kinda blew my mind." Chuckling he continued, "Blew; had to."

She could only shake her head in response, "You've been watching _How I Met Your Mother_ again haven't you?"

"So?"

"You really are an idiot."

"But you like me."

She grinned up at him, "Yeah. They're really auditioning for _Wicked_?"

"Yeah and since I know how much you like that show I told mom I'd give you the flyer."

"I've _always_ wanted to be Elphaba."

"I know, which if I haven't told you, wanting to be the Wicked Witch is totally badass."

"High praise coming from you."

He grinned, "You know it." He opened several containers, dumped food onto his plate, "So what was Santana doing here before?"

"You eat an absurd amount of food, you know that right?"

"Are you kidding, I wanted to make sure I left some for you."

"Gross. You're going to weigh five hundred pounds when you're forty."

"Well obviously I'm not gonna be able to eat like this when I'm forty. That's why I have to get it in now."

She opened her mouth, but honestly think of a reason to disagree. "Santana needs help in bio too."

"So she came to you?"

"I think we're friends now."

"You think?"

"It's all very confusing. But I'm going to tutor her on Mondays after Cheerios practice. She's going to drive me to my voice lesson tomorrow."

"You need me to pick you up after?"

"That would be lovely, thanks."

"Sure."

"And since my dads will be out of town all week, she's decided that I'm having a party."

Puck stopped eating, "A party?"

"I can't have a party?"

"It's not that, I just didn't think you'd be into having a bunch of half tanked asswipes in your house."

"Well, it's only going to be people from glee. Except I'm not inviting Finn, Kurt, or Mercedes."

He chuckled, leaned across the table to kiss her softly, "Good for you."


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: First I just want to apologize for the ridiculous amount of time it's taken me to update... Getting married around the holidays leaves time for nothing, and then I was just lazy. I do want thank everyone who reviewed and everyone who has stuck with the story... Enjoy :)

**Chapter 12**

_I am for those who believe in loose delights, I share the midnight orgies of young men, I dance with the dancers and drink with the drinkers.__ – Walt Whitman _

_Sex is two plus two making five, rather than four. Sex is the X ingredient that you can't define, and it's that X ingredient between two people that make both a man and a woman good in bed. It's all relative. There are no rules.__ - Marty Feldman_

"Santana, I don't know if I can do this." Rachel muttered walking towards the choir room.

"Oh, come on." Santana replied, rolling her eyes. "Don't pussy out now. It's Monday, how am I supposed to get through the rest of the week if I don't have a party to look forward to?"

Rachel stopped for a moment, blinked, then continued walking, "There are so many things wrong with that I really don't know where to begin. Also, it's not a party, it's a small intimate gathering of friends." Santana snorted, but didn't say anything. "At least that's what I am going to tell my dads when I talk to them later." Santana laughed again. "What?"

"Nothing." She responded, still snickering. "Continue."

"Anyway, I wasn't talking about that anyway. I was talking about inviting everyone now. It's kind of mean."

"Dude, that's the whole point." Santana said walking into the choir room after Rachel.

"First, I'm not a dude…"

"She sure?" Kurt muttered softly to Mercedes. The both chuckled softly before locking eyes with Rachel. "Sorry, that was uncalled for, since we're all about respect now."

Rachel nodded her head once, looked into Santana's smug face, "Point taken."

"I'm a god, Berry, I'm never wrong." She replied taking a seat next to Britney.

"It's charming Santana, how modest you are." Puck said walking in and sitting down on the other side of Rachel.

"You want modesty go talk to a fucking nun."

"Suck it." He smirked as Santana flipped him off. "So, baby, how's the party planning coming?"

"Intimate gathering of friends." Santana mimicked.

Puck chuckled, "I don't think Rach's up to an orgy just yet."

"What! Where do you get orgy out of that?" She glared at Santana, "Is that why you were laughing before?"

"Oh come _on_. How do you not get orgy out of that?"

Mike and Matt stopped as they were walking in, "Orgies? We're planning orgies now?" Matt asked.

"No." Rachel glared, as they all snickered, "there will be no orgies at my house."

"Bummer." Mike said sitting down. "I'm in for Friday, Rachel, orgy or no. I was gonna have Nathan stock up, but if I need to be prepared for anything else, let me know."

"Have I told you how much I love your brother, Chang?" Santana said lecherously.

"Don't screw brother." Mike sighed. "But I do need orders so I can let him know what to get. Rachel, what's your drink?"

Rachel opened her mouth, but Puck beat her to the answer, "She doesn't have one, but we're gonna find it Friday, tell him to get whatever he can."

"Sweet. I'll let Nate know."

"Hey, cool, who's having a party?" Finn asked walking into the room ahead of Mr. Shue.

Santana elbowed Rachel in the ribs. Rachel gave Santana a dirty look before turning to Finn. "I'm having some friends over on Friday. Mike, Matt, Britney, Quinn, Artie, Tina, Santana, and of course Noah, as long as they can make it, will be there."

"You're having a Glee party?" Mr. Shue asked. She saw Kurt and Mercedes glance at each other out of the corner of her eye.

"No."

"Everyone you just named is in Glee." Mercedes said snottily.

She felt Noah squeeze her shoulder, "As I said I am having friends over on Friday, they just happen to be in Glee. If I was having a Glee party everyone in Glee would be invited."

"Rachel, if your having a party and not all of your classmates are invited perhaps you should wait until after class to discuss it." Mr. Shue admonished.

Rachel blushed slightly, but it was Quinn who answered, "I didn't realize we were still in elementary school, and couldn't talk about our after school plans if they didn't involve everyone, but maybe we could talk about Regionals. I know _I_ don't want to lose to Vocal Adrenalin. "

"Great idea Quinn. Puck do you have any ideas for your song choice?"

* * *

Rachel limped out of the dance studio looking for Puck. _Damn pointe shoes. I guess it serves me right, since I haven't practiced nearly enough lately._

"About goddamn time. You're like forty minutes late."

"Santana?"

"Get in the damn car Tangina."

"I thought Noah was supposed to pick me up?" Rachel asked climbing into the sporty black car.

"We got board waiting at your house, so he broke in to get things started and I came to get you."

"Why would he break into my house?"

"Because while I can pick locks I can't disable alarms. And we didn't want people to leave when they saw all the lights off at your house."

Rachel pinched the bridge of her nose, shook her head, "I guess it didn't occur to either of you just to tell people I was running late?"

"Boring. Plus you're like really late. What the hell anyway? Why did your class run so long?"

"It's been a while since I danced for any length of time with my pointe shoes, I'm somewhat out of shape apparently. My instructor asked me to stay a little after."

"Bullshit."

"While I appreciate the sentiment, she was right. If I didn't have an audition for the lead in the recital I might not have bothered, but I can't be less than perfect. Especially if I'm chosen and have to dance in front of hundreds of people."

Santana slowed for a red light, glanced around, blew through the intersection, "SANTANA!"

"What? There was no one around. And you would've stayed even if you didn't have to practice for an audition; you're a perfectionist. Also, who're you kidding. There's going to be maybe seventy five people there, tops."

"Thanks for the confidence boost."

"Don't strap your bitch on because I told you the truth. That's what I do. Besides you're obviously awesome or they wouldn't have wanted you to try out. Now come on, get your ass in gear. It looks like everyone's already here."

"Look who finally decided to join us." Santana called walking through the front door. "Where's my drink?"

Smiling Rachel turned toward the den, where everyone seemed to be gathered, "Sorry everyone, ballet ran long. I'm just going to shower and change."

"No worries, we've been keeping ourselves entertained." Artie called.

Rachel turned towards the kitchen to grab some Band-Aids for her feet when she felt Puck come up behind her. "Hey, sorry about the whole b&e thing."

She chuckled softly, "Well, we couldn't have you and Santana bored, now could we? And I suppose as long as the police aren't alerted it's not a problem." She turned as he backed her against the counter, "You didn't alert the police, did you?"

"Please, baby, I don't know why I've done to have you insult me like that."

"You're right. What was I thinking, questioning your juvenile delinquency skills," she grinned at him wrapped her arms around his neck, "especially when your last foray into breaking and entering nearly wound up with both of us getting arrested."  
"Best night ever. First time I got to see more than an accidental flash of panty." He kissed her lightly, pulled her to her toes to deepen it, but pulled back abruptly when she hissed in pain. "The hell?"

"It's nothing." He only raised an eyebrow in response. "Have I told you how irritating it is when you do that?"

"Rachel."

"It is nothing. My feet are just a bit sore from class, it's been a while."

"You take ballet like three times a week."

"Pointe."

"Ouch." Britney said from behind them. "Is that why you were limping?"

"Yeah."

"I usually tape my toes, doesn't always work, but it helps."

"Thank you. I usually do tape my feet, but I was running late and forgot."

Britney hugged the smaller girl unexpectedly. Rachel met Puck's amused eyes over her shoulder. "Hugs always make me feel better."

"Thank you." Rachel said again.

"Do you have any Red Bull?"

Caught off guard at the sudden change of subject Rachel blinked in response. "Um, yes, actually. It's not cold."

"That's ok."

Rachel moved to a cabinet, moved several things out of the way and pulled out a twenty four pack of twelve ounce cans.

"The hell?"

"I don't want dad or daddy to know that I sometimes have to drink one to get through everything. They have this irrational idea that I'm going to be addicted or something."

"Yay." Britney said taking the cans. "Maybe these will be the ones."

"The ones?" Rachel asked.

"The ones that give me wings." Britney whispered in reply.

"Red Bull tastes like shit, it's way too sweet."

Rachel shrugged, "The sugar frees not too bad."

"Now, about your feet," he picked her up, placed her on the counter, "let's see."

"Noah." She laughed exasperatedly.

"I got you to practically strip when you had a bruise on your hip, but you wont show me your feet?" He grabbed her ankle, causing her to shiver. "Really?" He asked rubbing his thumb along her calf.

"I can't help it."

He grinned, "I'll keep that in mind." He pulled off her shoe, "Holy shit! Jesus Christ, Rachel, what the hell did you do to yourself?"

She glanced down, fully prepared to tell him that he was making too much out of it, but even she had to admit her feet looked pretty bad.

"The hell'd you do to the bloody stumps that used to be your feet?" Santana said walking into the kitchen.

"Santana, really, it's not that bad."

"It looks like you put your fucking feet into a food processor."

"It looks like nothing of the sort."

"Babe, it kinda does."

"God." Rachel huffed, jumping down from the counter, "You're just like Santana, but with a penis. Now I'm going to go take a shower so I can join the party you two started without me."

They both watched her stomp out of the kitchen, "So how hot're you now that she said penis?" Puck grinned at her, but didn't say anything. "You're welcome. Now, in return you can be my beer pong partner. Wheel chair kid and the Asian chick just knocked out Mike and Matt. Kid's freakishly good, and I do not want to lose."

"I'm not going out there with wood."

"You can do what I do, think about Tanaka and Pillsbury."

"One, fuck you for putting _that_ image into my head. Two, you think about Tanaka and Pillsbury to get rid of wood? Something you're not telling the rest of us?"

"Please, like I would have needed you if I'd had my own."

Grinning he threw an am around her shoulder, "Come on, let's kick some cripple ass."

Rachel took a deep breath and walked barefoot down the stairs, the shoes Santana had told her to wear were _so_ not happening now. "RACHEL!" She glanced over only to have Santana grab her face with both and plant a noisy kiss on her lips.

"Um." Was about all she could manage.

"Does this mean the orgy's starting?"

"MATT!" Santana flounced over to Matt to give him a loud kiss as well.

"Santana's an affectionate drunk." Quinn said from behind her.

"Yes," Rachel muttered shaking her head, "I see that."

Quinn snickered, "We don't normally let her drink so much, but Artie and Tina kicked hers and Puck's asses in beer pong. It was kind of amazing."

"Quinn!"

"BRITTANY!" Quinn yelled pointing Santana towards Brittany. She snorted as Santana redirected towards Brittany.

"It's all about knowing how to deal with her. Just be careful, she's sneaky and likes to use tongue."

"Good to know." Rachel watched with some amusement as Santana broke away from Brittany, climbed onto Artie's lap and nuzzled him like a cat. "I don't even know what to say to that."

"Hey, baby, I've been waiting for you."

"Why aren't you as drunk as Santana? Quinn said you two lost spectacularly to Tina and Artie. Which if I'm correct means you had to drink large amounts of liquor."

He raised an eyebrow, "One it was beer, it takes more than a couple of beers to get me shitfaced since I'm not a pansy and can hold my alcohol. Two, I drew the short straw so I'm dd. I made Santana do most of the drinking."

Rachel laughed, "Of course you did."

"Now, time to get you just as wasted as she is." He paused a moment, "Well maybe not that bad. We don't know how you'll be in the morning. Can't have you hungover for your audition."

The noise she made had him turning quickly. He barely caught her she launched herself into his arms. "You remembered." She breathed before pulling his head to hers. What she intended to be a quick kiss quickly turned into something more.

"Sick you guys." Mike said. "Could you maybe not do that in a room full of people. Dude, I just saw your tongue in Rachel's mouth."

Rachel broke away, blushing, "Sorry."

"Fuck that, I'm not. I just had my tongue in your mouth." Rachel rolled her eyes. "And you, don't be a creeper." Mike shot him the finger. "Here Rach." He said handing her a plastic cup. "You'll like this, it tastes like Vanilla Coke."

Rachel took a small sip, smiled, took a larger one. "I do, what's in it?"

"Vanilla Vodka and Pepsi. Well, Diet Pepsi since you're a girl. Alright, everyone who knows the quickest way to get my girlfriend drunk?"

"Yeah, and I'm the creeper."

Puck shot Mike the finger, "Blow me."

"I never!"

"Good choice." Puck nodded at Artie, "Everyone grab your drink. Q, you and me get water. Can't have drunk dds or pregnant girls."

"I'm playing?"

"Damn right, get your ass over here."

"Noah," Rachel whispered as they took seats next to each other, "how do I play."

"Someone says something they're never done, if you've done it, drink. If no one else has done your thing, you drink."

"I'm starting." Quinn said. "I never kissed a girl."

Rachel glanced over to see Quinn smiling as she, Santana and all of the boys drank. "Awesome." Puck muttered in her ear.

Mike thought a moment, "I never stole anything." Santana, Puck, and Tina drank.

"Lame dude." Matt yelled.

"Bite me, I like to work up to the good stuff."

Artie grinned, "I never lost at beer pong." Everyone but Rachel drank.

"You never loss at pong?" Santana slurred in surprise. "Fuck, shoulda made you my parner."

"I've never played beer pong." Rachel replied attempting to keep from blushing. Everyone drank. "Hey, what, no, that wasn't my thing."

"Too late, my turn." Puck grinned. "I've never cursed out my parents." Rachel and Quinn drank.

"I hate you." Rachel muttered.

"No you don't. And I am so teaching you how to play pong next time your dads are out."

The next several rounds were aimed at getting Rachel as drunk as possible. She'd finished three drinks and was well on her way to being done with a forth. "I never went down on a dude." Matt said. Brittany, Santana, and Rachel drank.

Quinn raised an eyebrow at Puck who smirked as Rachel giggled. "I really, really, like this game." She said enunciating each word very slowly. "Baby," she pouted, "I wanna try somefink…" her brow scrunched as she giggled, "somthin new. I'm tired of nilla pesi."

"One more and I'm cutting you off, lush." He walked to the makeshift bar, poured some raspberry vodka, then walked to the kitchen grabbed some apple juice and fruit punch Gatorade. "Try this." He said handing her the cup.

Rachel took a tentative sip, "Good, whatsit called?"

Puck's eyes locked with hers, "Berry Madness."

She giggled again, "Dance with me." She hooked the arm not holding a drink around his neck and swaying her hips to the music.

His hands went to her hips automatically, but considering the song was _Teach Me How to Dougie _he figured he was going to be ok, wood wise, especially since Mike and Brittany were demonstrating the dance in the middle of the room. No sooner had he finished the thought did the song change, to Shaggy's _Mr. Boombastic._ _Last time I leave Artie in charge of the music._

He'd just caught Artie's eye when Rachel turned in his arms, ground her ass into his crotch. "Shit." He muttered pulling her flush against him. She giggled again twisted her hips and turned her head to nip at his jaw. The semi he'd been sporting turned painful.

"This was such a good idea."

Quinn glanced over as Rachel giggled, "How drunk is she?"

"She's pretty far gone."

The watched as Rachel stumbled over to Santana so they could dance to P!nk's _Fucking Perfect_. "You sure it's a good idea to leave the two of them here alone?"

"Not really, but they planned it so Santana can take Rachel to the theater in the morning."

"Okay. I should get going, I promised Brittany's mom that I would get her home in one piece." They both looked over the where the blonde girl had passed out on the couch, her feet hanging over the back. "Think we should help clean up or something?"

"Nah, I told Rach I would stop by tomorrow and help out."

"If you say so. Hey, my Boozers, time to go."

Puck laughed as a couple of people pouted by followed Quinn obediently as he walked to Rachel, "Rach, we're all gonna head out, don't drink anymore, 'k."

"But it's goooood." Rachel pouted.

He chucked, "I know baby, but you don't want to be sick for your audition tomorrow, right."

"No?" She replied uncertainly. "No." She repeated more firmly.

"Okay, so you and Santana sleep it off and I'll be here tomorrow to help you clean up."

"'k. Bye Noah." She placed a smacking kiss to his lips, "Love you."

He jolted, _she's just drunk._ "Bye, Rach." He whispered, kissed her softly. "Alright, you guys, rest of you with me."

"Berry." Santana said in a singsong voice as Rachel flopped down to the couch.

"Santana." Rachel singsonged back.

"Whatchu doin for your audition?"

"I'm gonna be Elfba. I'm singing _No Good Deed_."

"Don't know that one."

Rachel jumped up, snickered when she had to place a hand on the wall for balance. "I'll show you." She picked up an empty beer bottle, used it as a microphone.

_**Eleka nahmen nahmen **_

_**Ah tum ah tum eleka nahmen **_

_**Eleka nahmen nahmen **_

_**Ah tum ah tum eleka nahmen **_

_**Let his flesh not be torn **_

_**Let his blood leave no stain **_

_**Though they beat him **_

_**Let him feel no pain **_

_**Let his bones never break **_

_**And however they try **_

_**To destroy him **_

_**Let him never die: **_

_**Let him never die: **_

_**Eleka nahmen nahmen **_

_**Ah tum ah tum eleka nahmen **_

_**Eleka nahmen nahmen **_

_**Ah tum ah tum eleka: eleka: **_

_**Oooh,What good is this chanting? **_

_**I don't even know what I'm reading! **_

_**I don't even know which trick I ought to try **_

_**Fiyero, where are you? **_

_**Already dead, or bleeding? **_

_**One more disaster I can add to my **_

_**Generous supply? **_

_**No good deed goes unpunished **_

_**No act of charity goes unresented **_

_**No good deed goes unpunished **_

_**That's my new creed **_

_**My road of good intentions **_

_**Led where such roads always lead **_

_**No good deed **_

_**Goes unpunished! **_

_**Nessa **_

_**Doctor Dillamond**_

_**Fiyero**_

_**Fiyero! **_

_**One question haunts and hurts **_

_**Too much, too much to mention: **_

_**Was I really seeking good **_

_**Or just seeking attention? **_

_**Is that all good deeds are **_

_**When looked at with an ice-cold eye? **_

_**If that's all good deeds are **_

_**Maybe that's the reason why **_

_**No good deed goes unpunished **_

_**All helpful urges should be circumvented **_

_**No good deed goes unpunished **_

_**Sure, I meant well - **_

_**Well, look at what well-meant did: **_

_**All right, enough - so be it **_

_**So be it, then: **_

_**Let all Oz be agreed **_

_**I'm wicked through and through **_

_**Since I can not succeed **_

_**Fiyero, saving you **_

_**I promise no good deed **_

_**Will I attempt to do again **_

_**Ever again **_

_**No good deed **_

_**Will I do again!**_

"Fuckin' awesome. You're gonna kick ass."

"Damn straight."

* * *

Rachel scowled at the rain as she waited for her dad. He was twenty minutes late and she was already regretting the decision not to let Noah or Santana pick her up.

The past week had sucked. She'd had a good time at her party, and thankfully hadn't woken up with a hangover, but the director had told her they were looking for someone older for the part. She'd argued the point until he'd conceded to her demand that he consider her, after all for most of the show Elphaba was supposed to be young. Since the party Finn had gone back to not looking at her and Kurt and Mercedes looked at her with barely concealed contempt. Then she'd only gotten an eighty on her math test, which was going to bring her average down again.

She dashed to her father's car when she saw the car pull to a stop in front of the studio. "Hi dad." She said climbing into the car.

"Rachel."

She blinked in response, she knew that tone, and she had a moment's panic that her dads had found out about the drinking at the party. "Is there something wrong?"

"Daddy and I want to talk to you when we get home."

Her stomach tightened, "About what?"

"Well talk about once we get home."

The rest of the car ride was spent in strained silence. Rachel jogged into the house, put her gym bag down on the kitchen table, "Daddy?"

"Richard we're in here. Rachel, why don't you sit down."

_Oh crap,_ _this is bad_. "What's going on?"

"Rachel what is this?" Alan flattened out a piece of paper.

Rachel looked over, sighed in relief, "It's a flyer from the theater they were auditioning for _Wicked_. Noah brought it over."

"Rachel have you seen the dates."

"It's this summer."

"Yes, during the time you go to Julliard's theater camp. Rachel if you want to be successful you have to take things seriously."

"I _know_ that. It's just, I'm sixteen years old. I don't want to go to camp. I want to actually perform."

"Rachel, you're never going to get anywhere by lowering your standards. And you'll be performing at Julliard. They're doing _Annie Get Your Gun_."

"I'm not _lowering_ anything. And I _hate Annie Get You Gun_." She doesn't, not really. Or at all, actually. She first saw the show with her dads when she was seven with Bernadette Peters for Hanukah. She'd made her dads get her a cowboy hat, boots, and pink handled cap guns as presents that year. Her dads had had to bribe her to take the guns and hat off before going to school; she'd almost always worn the boots.

"I don't care about your preferences, Rachel." Richard said. "Professionals will do what they're told. And you will be going to camp."

"I don't want to. I want to stay here; I don't want to be gone all summer. I want to hang out with my friends. I mean six months ago you two were about ready to send my to a psychologist because you didn't think that I had enough friends."

"Who? Those people you're surrounding yourself with are terrible influences on you."

"What? Why?"

"They're sexually active and irresponsible with it. There've had run ins with the police, underage drinking, and drugs. Failing grades, which if you're not careful is where your math grade is going to be. What part of that seems like good influence to you." Alan replied.

"You're going to camp, if only to get away from those 'friends.'" Richard said sternly.

"I DON'T KNOW _WHAT_ YOU WANT FROM ME." Rachel yelled. "EITHER I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FRIENDS OR YOU DON'T LIKE THE ONES I DO HAVE. I'M _NEVER_ GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU." She turned on her heel, grabbed her gym bag and stomped up the stairs. "I'M TIRED OF IT."

"Rachel, get back down here, we're not done talking."

"_I'M _DONE_." _She yelled from the top of the stairs. Slamming her bedroom door, she turned her iHome on. She vaguely heard the banging on her bedroom door so she turned the music on as loud as it would go. Wiping an angry tear from her face she stomped to her closet, pulled out a pair of jeans and a tee shirt.

She eyed the window as she changed, _how hard can it be, really? It definitely has to be harder to climb in than out._ Scrambling out of the window she almost lost her nerve when she had to drop the couple of feet from her window to the roof of the garage. She sucked in a breath as she slowly made her way to the edge; Noah had failed to mention how slippery the roof would be.

She wiped at the hair that was plastered to her face as she reached for the tree next to the house. She bit her lip as she leaned forward to get a grip on one of the branches. She smiled humorously as she finally made it to the ground with only a skinned knee and palm. She felt the tears start as she walked steadily towards Noah's house. _What do they want from me? How is it that I can never do anything right._

It didn't occur to her until she was halfway to his house that she realized that he might not be home. She thought he had mentioned something about hanging out with the guys, but she wasn't sure. And of course she'd forgotten her phone in her haste to get out of the house. _God I hope he's there. _Se let out a sigh of relief when she saw his truck in the driveway. She knocked briskly on the front door praying that Noah answered and not his mother.

She knew her plan, what there was of it, was shot to hell when it was Sharon and not Noah who answered the door. "Rachel?" Ms. Puckerman asked surprised.

Rachel heaved out a breath, "I….is n..n..Noah here?

Sharon blinked in surprise, "Come in, come in. Where're your dads? Did you walk here?" She fired off in rapid succession.

She blinked rapidly to ward off the tears as she stepped into the house, "I'm sor… sorry to come by unannounced. I needed to see Noah, m… my dads and I had a fff… fight. I couldn't stay there."

"Oh, sweetheart." Sharon murmured. "Noah's at Mike's house."

Rachel felt her heart sink, "Oh, of course. I'll just…" she trailed off as she waved vaguely towards the front door.

"Absolutely not. You can stay here. Eden's sleeping over at a friend's house, so I was here going crazy by myself. Come on, let's get you into the shower, I'll get some of Noah's clothes so you can change into something dry and I'll throw your things into the dryer. Do your dad's know you're here?"

Rachel shook her head as the tears streamed down her face. "I can just go home, I don't want to intrude."

"Don't be silly." Sharon glanced at Rachel's face as she placed a pile of clothes on the bathroom counter. "Honey, do you want to talk about it?"

Rachel sucked in a breath, she wasn't used to someone being so open and friendly. "It's just, it's silly, my dads want me to be perfect. Nothing I ever do is good enough for them. I… I do well in school, but my math grade is terrible. I'm a good singer, but I don't get enough solos in glee. I'm a good dancer, but I don't practice enough, so I don't get the leads. I'm a good actress, but I'm lowering my standards because I want to spend a summer doing Community Theater. It's never 'good job Rachel.' It's always 'you did well, but.' Why can't I be enough?"

"Sweetheart." Sharon said hugging Rachel. "It's going to be okay. I know your dads love you, they just want what's best for you."

"I wish I thought that was true." She replied softly.

Sharon squeezed her tightly, "They love you very much." She said thickly. "Now, take a hot shower, I'll go call your dads to let them know where you are."

Forty minutes later Rachel tentatively made her way from the bathroom, "Ms. Puckerman?"

"Oh, good. I just left some chamomile tea in Noah's room for you. It always helps to relax me."

"Thank you."

"I spoke with your dad, Alan, let him know you were here. I told him I would bring you home tomorrow when I get home from work as I've an early shift."

Rachel swallowed the lump in her throat, "How made was he."

"He's not happy with you, neither of your dads are. However, we had a little discussion, which is why they're willing to let you stay here tomorrow." Rachel nodded silently. "Now why don't you go get into bed, get a good night's sleep. I have to be at work at six tomorrow, so I wont be here when you wake up. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen for breakfast and lunch. Noah should be home around two."

"Thank you again Ms. Puckerman."

"No need for thanks, honey, I remember what it was like to be a sixteen year old girl." Rachel teared up again. "Get some sleep."

Rachel made her way to Noah's room, took note of the way his room seemed lived in, in a way hers never did. It wasn't messy, but there was general debris that littered the room. She took a small sip of the tea Ms. Puckerman had left on the nightstand and climbed into bed. Given the way her night had gone she fully expected to be awake for hours, but with Noah's sent surrounding her she was asleep in minutes.

Puck glowered and hunched his shoulders against the rain. _He was supposed to spend the night at Mike's, getting shitfaced and playing COD, but no, Finn had to be a fucking pussy. The night had started out fine, everyone knocking back a couple of drinks, ripping on each other. But then Finn had started in on him, about Quinn, Rachel, whatever the fuck else. He didn't mind so much, but everyone else was starting to get uncomfortable, so he'd left. Which was now why he was now walking the two miles home the pouring fucking rain, unlike some freakishly tall douche bag. He was going to get sick from this shit, he knew it._

He slipped quietly into his house and went straight to the bathroom to peel his wet clothes off. After his shower he wrapped a towel around his waist, made his way to the dryer and tossed his clothes in with what looked like Eden's stuff. Padding quietly to his room he dropped the towel the moment he closed his door and without bothering to turn the light on made his way to bed. He was half into the bed when he realized he wasn't alone. _That's all I fucking need, some crazy, stalker chick from school in my bed._

"Noah?" Came the sleepy voice buried under the covers.

_He knew that voice,_ "Rachel? The hell you doing here?"

"You're naked." She replied surprised.

"It's my bedroom."

"Yes, well…" She trailed off.

He turned the bedside light on, saw she was blushing, and grinned. "Babe, what're you doing here?"

She tired to keep her gaze from flicking down, but was unsuccessful. "Fight," she muttered, "with my dads. Your mom said I could stay."

He felt himself hardening, couldn't help it, "You okay?"

"I…" she stopped, glanced down again, "I want to forget."

"What?" He replied caught off guard.

"I want you to make me forget, about them, about school, ballet, everything." He stared blankly at her. "Noah, I want you to make love to me."

"Rach, I knew what you meant." He flipped the light off, turned back to her, cupped her face with both hands, and kissed her gently. He pulled her down to the bed, continued to kiss her softly. "I'm not having sex with you."

She pulled back sharply. "What? Why? What's wrong with me? Don't you want me?"

"Rach, I want you all the fucking time and there's absolutely nothing wrong with you, but I don't want your first time to be a revenge fuck."

"It's not like that."

"No?"

"No. And if you don't want to I'm sure I can find someone who will."

She attempted to climb over him, but he grabbed her, stopping her as she was straddling him. "You fucking feel that? I'm hard as shit right now. I'm sure there are plenty of guys you can find that'll want to do the honors, but fuck B, I want it to be me. I want it so fucking bad. I want to know what you look like when I push into you, when you feel me inside you, when you come with me there." Her breath was coming in shallow pants, her hips shifted, causing him to groan. "But not now, not like this."

"But, I want it. I want you." She locked eyes with him, "I want you to fuck me."

He groaned, sat up abruptly, kissed her hard, "That's playing dirty."

She nibbled at his jaw, placed soft kisses along the bone until she got to his ear, "That's' what she said."

He snorted out a laugh, "Wrong. How 'bout this, we go to sleep now and in the morning if you still want to, I'll fuck you to you scream."

"Noah," she whined, "I'm never going to be able to go back to sleep now."

He grinned, pulled her shirt over her head, "Even better idea. How 'bout I get you off now and in the morning we'll see how it goes." He rolled her to her back, tugged the boxers down her hips and was surprised by the sight of smooth, bare flesh.

At his raised eyebrow she panted out, "Had to. Ballet recital. Please, Noah, God."

He bent his head, took a nipple into his mouth as his hand moved lower to sink two fingers into her, his thumb rubbing at her clit. She came in moments, back arched, head thrown back, and a hand over he mouth in an attempt to keep quiet. "Holy shit."

"I told you." She muttered half embarrassed at how quickly he brought her to orgasm. "What about you?"

"No worries, I got this." He pulled his hand from her, wrapped it around himself.

"I can…" She started, but was quickly distracted by the way he moved his hand, still wet from her body, over himself. Licking her lips she watched him come in sticky spurts onto his stomach. "Here." She murmured handing him a tissue from his nightstand.

"Thanks." He cleaned himself off, pitched the used tissue into the garbage can. "Now we can both go to sleep." He pulled her down next to him, wrapped his arm around her. "Night baby."

"Goodnight, Noah."


End file.
